


Apples and Pomegranates

by ForeverDelighted



Category: Descendants (Disney Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Dark, Divination, Dreams, Enemies to Lovers, F/M, Greek Mythology - Freeform, Mystery, Slow Burn, Stalkerish behaviour, The Isle of the Lost
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-20
Updated: 2019-01-01
Packaged: 2019-08-04 21:41:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 65,599
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16354787
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ForeverDelighted/pseuds/ForeverDelighted
Summary: The strength of evil is as good as none when stands before four hearts as one. Take away one of those hearts and what happens? Good becomes history and evil achieves victory.Evie doesn't go to Auradon with the other VK's and finds herself at war with the son of Hades.





	1. The Invitation

**Author's Note:**

> This was inspired by a review on my other story 'The Demigod's Deal' by the lovely Thunderfiredragon! If you've read the other story you'll notice a few things from it here but they're going to be greatly expanded on and this story will be completely different. It's a multi-chapter story, not sure how many chapters yet (I already have most of the next chapter typed up!) Hayden comes from Chris Villain's awesome music video 'Descendants 3 unofficial First Look - Make it Hot (Chris Villain).'
> 
> Disclaimer: Descendants and Hayden aren't mine. Sadly ;A; (If they were Hayden would be in Descendants 3).

Someone was watching her.

While living in such a hostile environment as the Isle looking over your shoulder through reflections was second nature. You had to be exceptionally good - or be following someone exceptionally stupid - in order to get away with sneaking up on someone here. Evie was no fool, she always kept alert when she was out, especially when she was on her own. Letting your guard down was not an option, not unless you wanted to be robbed, beaten up or killed.

Evie hummed away to herself as she browsed the rotten choices on the apple stand, occasionally picking one of the apples up to inspect it before placing it back. Nothing about her demeanour let on that she knew she was being watched.

She kept an eye on her stalkers through brief glances at reflective objects on the stalls. There were two of them, a boy and a girl, both teenagers and dressed in dark shades of clothing. They were playing pretend at observing the goods on the stalls, giggling to one another and pointing at different things. Evie didn't buy their act for a minute. They were good, no doubt about it, but there was something about them that just seemed off and it wasn't something that they could control. There was an air about them, something strange that made them seem almost like outsiders. Evie would even go as far to say unnatural. A few other's seemed to notice it too, the older and more experienced of the villains giving the pair curious and wary looks as they passed them. It reminded Evie of a hive of bees passing silent judgment, trying to decipher whether or not the teenagers were apart of the hive or intruders.

"There she is!"

Evie glanced over her shoulder, a sincere smile slipping onto her face at the sight of Jay pushing his way through the crowded marketplace to get to her. Carlos was trailing behind him, grinning as Jay tossed a poor, flustered boy into a group of grizzly looking bandits. The trembling boy offered up his apologies to deaf ears before the gang chased him down the street for bumping into them and spilling their drinks.

"We've been looking all over for you," Jay said, giving her a chiding look.

"Well you obviously weren't looking hard enough," Evie replied dryly as she paid for a couple of apples. "You know I come to the market every Sunday. Now make yourself useful and take this."

Evie shoved her wicker basket of goods into Jay's arms, leaving the boy no room to argue. Carlos sniggered, swiping an extra apple when the shopkeeper wasn't paying attention. Evie snatched it off of him and took a bite out of it as they made their way down the street.

Now that she had backup, Evie blatantly looked over her shoulder to glare at her stalkers and let them know that the jig was up. Obviously, they had no idea who she was, and seeing her with Jay and Carlos, two fellow children of some of the most infamous villains on the Isle, would give them a hint and make it clear that she was off limits. Reputation was everything on the Isle, and you had to use it to your advantage. Children of lesser villains wouldn't dare attack children of the more formidable ones, not if they valued their own, as well as their parents, lives. Perhaps they didn't recognise who she was, but there was no way they could also be ignorant of who her friends were.

Her stalker duo were standing by the fruit stall she had just visited, no longer trying to conceal that they were watching her. They stood eerily still, their faces blank. And they weren't alone. There was a third person, someone she hadn't noticed trailing her. He was taller than the other two, standing between them, leaning against the stall with his arms crossed and face hidden behind a dark hood. Like the other two his clothes were dark in colour, but his were slightly more elaborate with spikes on the shoulders and cuffs of his leather jacket. Evie couldn't make out his face, but she could see just the glimmer of a smile on his thin lips. In his hand he held what looked like a pomegranate. He tossed it in the air before catching it and taking bite.

"-Earth to Evie! Did you hear me?" Jay drawled irritably.

Evie blinked, a little startled. "I wasn't listening, what did you say?"

Jay gave her a quizzical look and glanced behind them. "I asked you like three times what you were looking at?"

"Oh, right," Evie shook her head, tucking her waves of black hair behind her ear. "I was looking at those weirdos over-" Evie turned around to point the trio out, only to find them having vanished "-there."

"Who?" Carlos asked, scratching his head.

"Never mind, they're not important," Evie muttered, squinting her eyes as she searched the bustling crowds. Unable to spot them, she turned back around and followed Jay and Carlos back to town. "Anyway, care to tell me why you guys were looking for me? I thought we were meeting up later on tonight? You promised me a milkshake from Frollo's, don't think I forgot!"

Jay rolled his eyes, muttering under his breath about Evie's annoying memory.

Carlos nodded his head sympathetically, throwing an arm over Jay's shoulders. "Pretty sure you promised me one too."

"Like hell I did," Jay snapped, tossing Carlos aside. "And we're to meet Mal at her mom's place."

"My mom's there today," Evie said. "Said she was seeing Maleficent about something important."

"Funny, so is my mom," Carlo chimed in, a curious look on his face. "And Jay, didn't you say your pa was gonna be there too?"

Jay nodded and crossed his arms, a look of concern on his face that mirrored his friend's.

"All our parents in the one place and we're to go meet Mal there?" Evie muttered, biting her lip. Something didn't feel right, it couldn't be, not with all four of their parents trying to trick them into a villain, family conference. "Is anyone else getting that sense of-"

"Impending doom?" Carlos cut in with a wince.

"Yipe, I'm getting it too," Jay mumbled.

Despite knowing that nothing but trouble lay waiting for them at Bargain Castle, the three VK's had no choice but to go there. Mal had no doubt already been wrangled into it by Maleficent and it would be cruel of them to leave her on her own with Maleficent, the Evil Queen, Jafar and Cruella for too long. That was a fate none of the teenagers would wish even on their worst enemy.

* * *

"You will go to Auradon, you will find the fairy godmother and you will bring me back her magic wand," Maleficent said as she lounged on her throne in Bargain Castle, nonchalantly filing her nails. "Easy peasy."

Mal, Evie, Jay and Carlos stood before her, still at a loss to the news that they had been chosen, out of all the children on the Isle, to attend Auradon Prep. Villains leaving the Isle was unheard of, it was a chance many had ceased hoping for. Apparently, the soon to be King Ben, son of the current rulers of Auradon, had issued a decree that allowed a small selection of villain children to carry out their education away from the Isle.

Each of the VK's had responded to the news different. Mal was horrified and completely against it, she didn't want to attend a school with prissy, pink princesses and stuck up goodie toe shoes. Jay wasn't thrilled at the idea of uniforms and rules. Carlos was alarmed at the idea of attending a school that allowed dogs, convinced that they were rapid pack animals that would devour him at the first given chance.

Although she knew better than to show it, Evie was excited about the opportunity. Yes, Maleficent had made it  _very_ clear that they weren't going there for the education. Their parents were only allowing them this chance in order to get the magic wand so that they could use it to bring down the barrier and rain hell on the heroes. It was about freedom and revenge, nothing more.

But how could Evie's heart not swell at the chance to see the kingdom that glistened on the other side of the sea? She saw it every day from her castle tower, a kingdom of white bathed in the golden light of the sun that never reached the Isle through the ever-present thunderclouds. Her mother had told her stories of what that world was like, how everything was clean, bright and the opposite of everything on the Isle. Evie wanted to see it for herself, to see what a castle looked like in it's prim, to see the malls and all the different fashions, and maybe even find the prince of her dreams.

"-And if you don't go," Maleficent's stern voice brought Evie out of her daydreaming daze and over to an irritated Mal "-you're grounded for the rest of your life, missy."

"What?" Mal spluttered indignantly. "But that's not-"

Mal was quickly silenced by a snap of Maleficient's fingers and a glower of glowing green eyes. Never one to back down without a fight, Mal tried to stare her mother down but as always, she failed. Mal snarled in frustration, looking anywhere but at her smug, insufferable mother.

"Fine, whatever!" Mal muttered.

"I win," Maleficent smirked.

Evie gave Mal a pitying look. She knew what it was like to have such a domineering mother, her own mother could be difficult to deal with when she set her mind to something. It was either her way or the high way. The difference between Evie and Mal was Evie seldom fought her mother on anything. Why bother? She knew it was a fight she would never win. Her mother was a terrifying woman, even if Auradon's stripping of her power and authority made her appear tame and harmless. Evie knew better. It was an illusion, a dangerous illusion that you fell for at your own peril. Even powerless and without magic, her mother was not weak. Evie wasn't bold enough to challenge her mother like Mal - something Evie admired Mal greatly for.

"Evie," the Evil Queen sung sweetly. Evie hurried over to her mother, sitting down before her and taking her hands in her own. "Well, my little Evilet in Training, we best get you back to the castle so we can start packing your-"

"Um, no!" Maleficent cut off the Evil Queen. "Evie's not going."

The smile on the Evil Queen's face dropped, her eyes narrowing at Maleficent. All the motherly sweetness in her voice evaporated, replaced by sharp, harsh ice. Everyone in the room flinched, all but Maleficient. "I beg you're pardon? What do you mean 'Evie's not going?' Of course, she is!"

Maleficent didn't look at all bothered by Queen's outburst, if anything she looked bored. With a dramatic sigh, Maleficent walked over to the Evil Queen and handed her the invitation letter. The Evil Queen snatched it from the other women's hands before quickly reading over the calligraphy writing.

"Mom?" Evie whispered, her heart dropping at the look on her mother's face.

The Evil Queen clutched the paper tightly in her hands, her face scrunching up in fury. She looked utterly furious, her cheeks turning red.

"Only my Mal, Jay and Carlos have been invited to Auaradon," Maleficent explained, giving Evie a sympathetic smile, one that didn't reach her eyes. "So no, honey, you won't be going."

Evie flinched, her eyes falling to the floor. Of course, she wasn't getting off the Isle. How could she have thought otherwise, for even a moment? Evie couldn't bring herself to look at her mother, she could feel her lividness from here. What must she be thinking, that Maleficient, Jafar and Cruella's children got chosen over hers? Evie felt like an utter disappointment.

"You won't be missing much anyway, Evie," Mal came up behind her and squeezed her shoulder reassuringly. "Trust me. It'll be beyond boring there."

Jay scoffed, crossing his arms as he leant against the table. "Yipe. If anything you're the lucky one in this, E. You don't have to wear cringy uniforms, obey any rules or attend 'how to be nice 101 classes.'"

"Is that an actual class?" Carlos cringed.

Jay shrugged. "I don't know. Wouldn't surprise me though."

"Besides, Evie, we need you here to keep up the fort!" Mal continued. "Well we're gone make sure none of these low lives out there try and steal our territory."

"Oh, please, Mal," Maleficent scoffed, disappointment on her face. "None of that will matter once I'm ruling the world."

The Evil Queen cleared her throat loudly, rapping her kunckles off the table.

"We!" Maleficent replied quickly, not sounding sincere at all, "I meant we. None of that will matter once we are ruling the world. You're silly little squabbling over the Isle is you thinking far too small, Pumpkin. It's all about world domination. Evil Queen, Jafar, Cruella, come with me, we have much to plan!"

The VK's watched as their parents left the room. Once they were gone they all let out a collective breath, like their parent's absence suddenly allowed them to breath easy. Mal sighed, shaking her head.

"Ignore her, just make sure-"

"That no one steals our territory," Evie finished for Mal, a tight smile on her face. "Got it. I'm guessing this is a backup, just in case you guys don't pull it off."

"Better safe than sorry," Mal said with a shrug. "I'm sure we can pull it off."

"Even though it's something that our very scary and all-powerful parents weren't able to do with all their magic, armies and experience," Carlos chipped in with a hint of despair.

"Ever the optimist," Mal said, rolling her eyes.

Jay winced, looking less and less optimistic about their chances of success. "We're dead, aren't we?"

"So dead," Mal laughed mirthlessly before her face turned serious, her eyes glowing green with determination. "If we fail. Which we won't. Cause we're rotten-"

"-to the core," the rest of the VK's chimed in.

* * *

"The nerve of them! The absolute nerve!"

Evie winced as she listened to her mother fume about the turn in events. Mal, Jay and Carlos had already departed for Auradon, leaving Evie behind on her own. The Evil Queen had excused herself and her daughter from Bargain Castle for the evening, making an excuse that they had dinner plans for the evening. Truthfully, the Evil Queen just wanted to let loose her pent-up rage.

"My daughter overlooked for those peasant miscreants? Who does this  _Prince Ben_ think he is?" The Evil Queen hissed. "When I take over he's the first to go!"

"Mom, lower your voice," Evie whispered, glancing around. It was still fairly busy on the streets despite the late hour, who knows what ears could be listening in on them? "There are still people around."

"True," The Evil Queen muttered bitterly. "Oh, Evie, my dear. How low we have fallen. But don't you worry. Your chance will come and we'll show everyone who doubted us who the true evil Queen - and princess - of this world is."

The Evil Queen took her daughter's hand and squeezed it. They walked in silence for a while, arm in arm, making their way to the eastern side of town where they could do some late night shopping for food.

The night market was one of Evie's favourite places on the Isle. The narrow streets were filled with stalls, much like they were in the morning, but now they were alight with lanterns of all shades, that were strung across the buildings and around the stalls frames. Inside the lanterns, fluttering around wildly for an escape, were tiny fireflies, about seven or eight in each one. The lighting made the place feel cosier than it did in the day, and with how dark it was it was harder to see the dirt and grime of the streets and buildings. There was almost an enchanting feel to the place.

Evie plopped herself down by a dried up fountain, waiting for her mother to grab the last of the ingredients for their supper tonight. While she was waiting, a young girl skipped over to her.

"Hi, there," Evie said, smiling at the girl.

The girl was about eight or nine, with rosy cheeks and her blonde hair pulled back into pigtails. Her clothes were ragged and dirty, much like most of the children on the Isle.

"What's your name?" Evie asked.

The girl chose to ignore her question, instead, she pulled out a beautiful, white lily from behind her back. Evie blinked, never having seen such a lovely flower. The prettier plants never grew on the Isle, they couldn't, not with the poor quality of the soil and lack of sunshine. Even if they could grow here some villains despised anything remotely good or pretty looking and would destroy them on sight.

"This is for you," the girl said quietly, holding the flower out for her to take.

"For me?" Evie asked, a genuine smile breaking out onto her face. She took the flower, gingerly bringing it up to her nose to smell. "Thank you."

" I was told to give it to you, Miss," the girl replied, smiling coyly.

"Oh, by who?" Evie asked absentmindedly, still rather taken by the flower and its sweet fragrance.

"The prince!"

That comment drew Evie's attention away from the flower. She quirked an eyebrow at the girl, looking at her curiously and a little confused. "The Prince? What prince are you-"

"Evie! Come along, my dear! It's time to go!" the Evil Queen's voice rung out over the chattering crowds.

Evie glanced through the bustling flocks of villains, noticing her mother by one of the stalls, waving for her to come.

"I'm coming! Just a second!" Evie shouted before turning back to look at the girl. "What prince are you... talking... about." Evie's voice trailed off when she noticed that the little girl had vanished. Evie rose to her feet, scanning the area for any signs of her.

 _What is it with people and vanishing of late?_  Evie thought irritably.

"Evie! I said it's time to go!" the Evil Queen shouted over to her, quickly losing patience.

Evie bit her lip, muttering a curse under her breath. With a sigh, she gave up and hurried over to her mother who linked arms with her and began pulling her away. Just as they were leaving, Evie glanced over her shoulder one last time in hopes of seeing the mysterious girl.

Evie frowned when, through the waves of crowds, she saw someone sitting where she had just been seated by the fountain. It was the boy from earlier today, the one with the leather hoody with spikes on his shoulders and cuffs. She couldn't be sure due to his hood covering his face, but she could have sworn he was staring right at her. Momentarily, he was hidden behind a group of people and once they moved he was gone. Just like he had done earlier with her stalker duo, just like the little girl.

Evie blinked, feeling unsettled by the whole encounter.

Her fingers tightened on the lily.

* * *

That night Evie dreamed.

For most people that was a normal thing to do, to dream. But not here, not on the Isle. There was some magic in place that prevented it, another way in which the heroes punished the villains for their crimes. Dreams were too peasant, too much of an escape, for the inhabitants of the Isle to be allowed them.

Yet despite the magic in place to prevent her from doing so, Evie dreamed. She only ever had two dreams, both as different as night and day. Tonight, she dreamed of sunshine and crystal clear waters. In the dream she had escaped the Isle and was now standing on the shore, the cold waters skimming her toes and the breeze fluttering her hair and clothes. She was dressed in a billowy, summer dress, as white as daisy petals. Her long, black hair fell above her in waves and had lillies weaved into it. The outfit she was wearing wasn't one she would have ever have picked out for herself and reminded her vaguely of the outfits people would have worn in Ancient Greece.

"You look rather lost today, Evie."

Evie turned away from the ocean and looked inland. The moment she did she was no longer standing by the shore but in a field of white flowers with a few bluebells speckled in. The endless fields of flowers swayed under the sweet breeze, tickling Evie's ankles as she stood there.

She was not alone.

Someone was standing a few feet away from her, the glaringly bright light from the sun blocking them from view. The person was always there in her dreams, whether she dreamed of the ocean, fields and coldness or the darkness, caverns and unbearable heat.

"Hello," Evie addressed the shadowy figure. "I haven't seen you in a while. I don't think."

The last few weeks no dreams had come to her. Evie had begun to fear that she had lost her talent for it. Even though one of the dreams filled her with dread and doom, this one, of sunshine and light, made enduring the darker one worth it. And now that she was in the dream she could remember things, things she had forgotten about them when she woke, that she would forget again when the dream ended. She would have missed this person, this person who only appeared to her in dreams. No matter the dream he was always there with her.

"Did you miss me?" the figure asked, tilting his head.

"I can't say. I can never remember you when I wake up," Evie mumbled, lifting a hand to her head. "Maybe."

Evie lowered herself onto the grass, sitting among the flowers. She plucked a daisy and began pulling the petals off. The figure moved to sit beside her and finally she could see him clearly. He was about her age, maybe a little older, and had a sharp, icy beauty to him. His hair was a shocking, neon blue colour, with hints of darker blue throughout it. It was a stark contrast to his amber eyes that were so bright they almost seemed to glow.

"What's got you so blue today?" the boy asked as he lay down on the ground, his arms resting behind his head like a pillow.

"I'll answer your question if you answer mine," Evie smiled slyly, turning to look down at him.

"Oh? And what question would that be, Evie?" the boy asked, a knowing smile on his face.

"What's your name?"

It was a question she had asked him for years, and every time she asked he would divert the topic or dodge the question. She had no name for this boy and he would not give her one no matter what tricks she used. She had tried everything, from deceit, trickery, flattery to flirting. Nothing worked. Odd considering this was her dream, surely everything here bent to her whim? Yet nothing ever did.

"Ah, ah, Evie, you should know better by now," the boy lightly scolded, quirking an eyebrow at her. "My lips are sealed."

"Why? Why could you possibly not give me your name?" Evie huffed, blowing a strand of hair from her face. "I bet it's an embarrassing name and that's why you won't say."

"Possibly," the boy shrugged.

Evie pursed her lip and leaned over him, placing one hand by his head to keep her balance. The boy's eyelid's fluttered open as her shadow fell over him. He had a small smile on his face, one that always seemed to be present.

"Then I'll possibly start ignoring you until you tell me," Evie threatened sweetly as she stared down at him, her hair falling down to curtain around their faces.

"And deny me the sound of your voice? That's just cruel," the boy mused, eyes twinkling cheekily at the blush his words brought to Evie's cheeks. "Then again, maybe it's a blessing."

Evie narrowed her eyes and punched the boy in the shoulder, earning her a giddy laugh from him for her efforts. With a roll of her eyes, she went to pull away but the boy was having none of it. Quick as a snake, his arms slithered around her waist and pulled her down on top of him. With a skilful roll, Evie found herself on her back, staring up at the boy above her, his elbows at either side of her head propping him up.

"I think I like this view of you too," he murmured.

Evie scowled at him, unimpressed by his usual antics. "You're avoiding my question. Again!"

"You avoided mine first," the playfulness in his voice died down when he spoke again. "What's wrong, Evie? You know you can tell me."

Of course, she could tell him, he was only a dream. A figment of her imagination. She guessed this was her minds peculiar way of helping her deal with difficult issues in her life. It wasn't like she had anyone to talk to. She may have had the VK's but opening up and talking about feelings wasn't their thing.

Besides, you couldn't reveal your feelings to anyone on the Isle, it was dangerous, even if it was to your close friends and allies. Feelings were something that could be exploited, opening yourself up to another villain left you open to that threat. Even though they were all friends now, the VK's parents constantly reminded them that it wouldn't always be that way. Friends could become enemies in a heartbeat, and even if it didn't happen while they were on the Isle, their parents assured them in secret that it would happen once they finally brought down the barrier. It would be every villain for themselves, a mad scramble to claim the throne of the world and all the powers that came with it. Any weakness that had been shared through fickle things like friendships during their time on the Isle would be used against them, with no regret.

On the Isle friendships were temporary, that was what her mother told her. It was a lesson so ingrained in her head that even though she didn't truly believe it, and did care greatly for her friends, Evie struggled to open up to them - just as they did with her and each other. That was the cost of friendships on the Isle of the Lost, you could never fully open up to each other.

"My friends got invited to Auradon today and I didn't," Evie whispered. She hated the way her voice cracked as she spoke. "Guess I wasn't good enough to go."

"So they just left you there to rot?"

Evie blinked at the dark expression on the boy's face. His brow was furrowed and eyes narrowed, his lips twisted into a frown.

"No," Evie said quickly, shaking her head. "They'll come back for me. Whether they win or fail. But they won't fail. They'll get Fairy Godmother's magic wand and free everyone from here. I'm just a little disappointed that I'm missing out on all the fun. Now I'm stuck on territory guard duty."

"How do you know they'll come back for you?"

"They will."

"But how do you know?" the boy challenged, none of his usual playfulness in his voice. "How do you know they won't decide to stay there, without you?"

"They wouldn't," Evie scoffed at the idea.

"They might, Evie," the boy continued to push, staring down at her intensely. "They're villains, it's what they do. They might see the life Auradon has to offer and decide they much prefer it to this one. And who's to stop them? Their parents won't be there to. They'll get to live in paradise while you battle it out with the rest of the villains over petty little patches of land that you have no real control over."

Evie glared at the boy, furious at his accusations. The VK's wouldn't betray her, they were friends and despite everything that their parents told them she knew it meant something. They always stuck together, the rotten four no matter what. With an irritable groan, Evie shoved the boy off her and got to her feet before stomping away through the field.

"Where are you going?"

"Away from you, isn't it obvious?" Evie snapped.

Suddenly, the boy appeared in front of her. He gently grabbed her shoulders, stopping her from moving away. "I didn't mean to upset you, Evie. I was just telling you the truth. You know it's true."

"It isn't!" Evie hissed, clenching her fists at her side.

"I'm trying to protect you," the boy stressed each word, squeezing her shoulders to emphasise his point. "Do you realise how much danger you're in if they do turn their backs on evil? You're a VK, just like them. If they turn, people might turn on you."

Evie opened her mouth to say something but no words came out. Everything was blurring at the edges and her head was becoming lighter. She was waking up.

"Be careful, Evie."

Those were the last words she heard before she woke up, and just before she did, she swore she felt the faint sensation of lips against her forehead. But as always, once her eyes opened and the dreamed ended, she forgot the boy and what he had said.


	2. The Demigod

"Not even a week and already someone's declaring war."

Evie shook her head, assessing Mal's vandalised artwork. It was the image of Maleficent with her back turned and arms outstretched, her long, purple sleeves draping from her arms like wings. It was one of Mal's favourite tags and this particular one marked the start of their territory on the west side of the town. Someone had spray painted it, leaving a crudely drawn skull over it.

"It has to be Uma and her crew," Dizzy muttered, placing her hands on her hips. "They like using skulls for their tags."

"True," Evie mumbled, "but I don't think so. I've never seen them use a skull like this before."

Whereas the pirates used small skulls that they decorated with bandanas, eye patches and swords in their mouths, this one was simple and elongated, made with dark grey paint. It didn't have the same level of detail Uma and her crew favoured and the art style wasn't like any of theirs.

"Then who else could it be?" Dizzy asked with a frown. "If anyone was going to start up hassle this early with the other VKs gone I was sure it'd be Uma. That girl has a major grudge against Mal."

"To be honest I'm surprised she hasn't tried anything yet," Evie sighed, running a hand through her hair. "But no, I'm not convinced this is her doing."

"Then who?" Dizzy asked.

Evie smiled at Dizzy over her shoulder. "That's what we're gonna find out."

* * *

Dizzy wasn't officially a VK but she was Evie's friend and had agreed to give the older girl a hand while doing the routine checks over the VK's territory, the least dangerous of all her tasks. Acquiring territory was difficult and even more difficult was keeping it under your control. The different factions on the Isle tended to use graffiti as a way of staking their claim on different streets, alleys and zones. When one group wanted to challenge another group for a piece of land, they made it known by attacking these markers. It was a warning shot.

What Evie needed to do now was investigate who this skull mark belonged to before whoever it was decided to bloody the waters and make an outright attack on the VKs. If she could figure out who it was then the VKs could get to them before they got to the VKs. If it was just a random kid trying to act tough then a few poisoned words should be enough to get them to back off. At a push, she could get one of the other honorary VKs to rough him up a bit. If it was a villainous faction trying to take over the VK's territory then things could get messier.

"Maybe it's a different pirate group?" Dizzy suggested as she slurped her milkshake.

The pair were sitting on the balcony terrace of Frollo's Creperie, mulling over potential intruders on the VK's territory. From up there, they had a clear view of the busy main street, Auradon visible across the glittering waters. It was their weekly tradition to stop by Frollo's, though usually they weren't burdened with official VK business.

"It could be Harriet? She was in the Curl up and Dye last week, kept going on about how she was making her own crew since her father wouldn't stop nagging her about it." Dizzy tapped her fingers against her chin. "Plus there's that whole skull island thing on Neverland. Everyone knows how much she obsesses over going there."

"There's also Captain Silver's son," Evie mentioned, scribbling down her thoughts on a notepad. "He always had a fondness for skulls. But I don't see why either of them would want to take over the west side of town. It's so far away from the water and most of the pirates prefer staying near the sea. The only reason Uma's been after the inland territory is because it's Mal's."

"That is a fair point," Dizzy agreed.

A waiter came over to their table and placed down two milkshakes. Flustered, Evie tried to tell him that they hadn't ordered anything else.

"Oh, some guy bought you it," the waiter shrugged.

"What guy?" Evie frowned.

The waiter glanced around but didn't find who he was looking for. "I'm not sure where he went. Look I have other things to do so if you don't mind."

Evie huffed in annoyance as the waiter left. Warily, she looked at the milkshake like it was poisoned. It was highly suspicious for someone to buy her a milkshake. Buying others treats wasn't the norm, it was too friendly, too nice a thing to do. Dizzy had no such reservations and was already wolfing hers down with a grin on her face.

"This is weird," Evie muttered, reluctantly taking a sip from her drink. It was vanilla with extra cream and sprinkles, her favourite. 

"What the freebies? Don't knock it!"

"I'm not knocking it, I just find it odd. There have been a few... strange things happening of late."

"Like what?"

Evie hesitated before explaining, not quite certain she wasn't being a overly paranoid. "Well, the other day someone sent me a white lily and now I'm getting a free milkshake."

There had also been the two - possibly three - weirdos who had followed her in the marketplace the other day, but she had no evidence that they were connected to her elusive gift giver, other than the fact she had seen one of them at the night market after receiving the lily.

Dizzy's eyes lit up and she let out an excited squeal. "Oh, my glass slippers! What if you have a secret admirer?"

"The person who gave me the lily said it was from a prince. The only princes I know are Hamlet and Jack. And I'm pretty sure it couldn't be any of them."

Hamlet was the son of Hans, and although he was charming and polite, Evie wouldn't trust him as far as she could throw him. He was much like his father, secretly cold and calculating and didn't care for anyone. He wasn't someone who bothered with romance unless it could aid him in his quest for a throne. Since Evie had no throne - thanks to a certain step-sister who would not be named - there was no chance Hamlet would even entertain the notion of pursuing her romantically.

The other prince was the Queen of Heart's son. Evie got along with him well, they shared similar tastes in fashion after all, but she knew he wasn't interested in her in that sense. Besides, he was far too dramatic to go for the subtle approach to romance. He was more the type for outlandish and elaborate declarations of love than giving discreet tokens of affections.

"Slim picking then," Dizzy sniggered, fully aware of what the princes on the Isle were like.

Evie nodded, letting out a long sigh.

It wasn't the first time Evie had received anonymous, romantic gifts. At Valentine's day, her bedroom was usually crammed filled with chocolates and wilted roses from secret admirers. Yet there was something about this one that felt different. Something that put her on edge.

* * *

"Oh, come on, Evie! It's a great idea!"

"No, Zevon, it really isn't."

"If you and I combine our chemistry skills I'm sure we can recreate my mother's lama potion! With it, we can take over this Isle completely!" Zevon said, tossing his arms in the air dramatically. "Mal won't be able to deny my - I mean our - skills and potential."

Evie rolled her eyes. Sometimes she wondered why Mal had made Zevon an honourary VK. The boy was unquestionably skilled in chemistry, she would give him that, but it was the only thing he was good at. His plans were outlandish and weird and he never thought them through fully. He always ended up in more trouble than he caused.

He and Evie were on their way home late after a meeting at the VK's hideout. All the VKs had been there, discussing what they had found out about their mysterious new rival. Some had reported new skulls being spray painted over various territory marks, not only VK ones but also over Uma's and a few rival gangs tags too. Neon blue skulls were appearing everywhere on the Isle and no one was sure who it was.

"Zevon, for the last time, we are not turning everyone into lamas! That is such a stupid plan that I am embarrassed you even thought about it."

It was such a silly idea she almost considered it grounds to expel him from the VKs. 

"How is it stupid?" Zevon scoffed, offended. "If everyone's lamas we can easily take them all on."

They turned the corner, entering a dimly lit alleyway. Amber fairy lights dangled above them, some hidden behind washing lines and drying clothes. There was graffiti all over the walls, not any territorial marks, just random names, catchphrases and unskillful drawings. The alley wasn't the most inviting of alleys, and the light fog trailing across the ground and the lateness of the hour was not helping its appeal.

"You would be the emperor of lamas. Why would you want that?" Evie crossed her arms, shaking her head in dismay. "Besides, think about this logically. If everyone's lamas who is going to wait on you hand and foot? Who will make the food, the clothes, do the cleaning and all that other stuff you've neglected to think about?"

Zevon rubbed his chin, a frown on his face. "Well... I suppose you have a point."

A terrifying growl from behind them stopped the two VKs dead in their tracks. Both slowly turned around, squinting to see what was behind them in the darkness and fog. Starring at them through two blood red eyes was a creature, hidden in the shadows. They could see the gleam of pearly fangs snarling at them.

Zevon took a trembling step backwards, hiding behind Evie.

"What... what the hell is that?" Zevon spluttered.

Evie tensed, ready to make a run for it when a black paw stepped into the light, followed by another. Once fully in the light, the creature snarled, snapping its jaws at them.

Zevon burst out laughing. Evie blinked, bewildered.

It was a puppy. Just a cute, black, fluffy, little puppy. It looked like a rottweiler, and besides its unusual, glowing red eyes, it was absolutely adorable and tiny with a cute, grey button nose. Evie was struck by the urge to snatch it up and cuddle it.

"Aw, man, and to think I thought that was a monster or some-" Zevon's words stuck in his throat when the creature moved further into the light.

Apparently, it's full body hadn't been in the light yet. Instead of one head, the puppy had three, each one's lips trembling as it growled. 

"Evie, am I seeing things or does that dog have three heads?" Zevon murmured, rubbing his eyes in disbelief.

Evie nodded her head. "It does. That's... unusual."

"That thing is creepy," Zevon drawled in a sing-song voice.

The three-headed dog snared, saliva dripping from its fangs. The next moment it was galloping down the alley, leaping through the air and tackling a wide-eyed Zevon to the ground. Zevon's shrill shrieks filled the air the creature tried to rip him to shreds, his body flailing wildly as he tried to get it off of him.

Evie quickly snatched the creature off him, pulling it back and keeping it trapped in her arms. The creature continued to try and lunge forward, one head snapping its jaw while the other two barked at the boy. Zevon, dishevelled and clothes torn, scrambled to his feet and pointed at the fearsome, little creature trying furiously to get out of Evie's grip.

"Why did it go for me?" Zevon shouted, stumbling backwards. "I'm outta here, man. That thing is nuts!"

"Zevon! Don't you dare leave me here with this-" One of the heads snapped around to stare at her, and Evie made the quick decision not to say anything insulting about the creature, as that seemed to have been what set it off on Zevon. "Cute... little...guy?"

"Cute little guy!" Zevon scoffed, still baking away. "Well if he's so cute and little you deal with her!"

Zevon fled the alleyway, leaving Evie with the creature still held tightly in her arms. She watched wide-eyed and mouth agape as Zevon bolted around the corner. She couldn't believe it! That little worm had left her here with this mini demon! Right after she had risked her own safety to pull it off and keep it from him! He was a dead man when she got her hands on him!

Evie swallowed, glancing down at the puppy in her arms. She felt her whole body tensing, ready for it to turn its attention to her now that Zevon was no longer there. Oh poison apples, it was going to bite her! Evie waited on tender hooks, waiting for it to lash out, to snarl and bite and claw at her.

But it didn't. With Zevon gone the puppy seemed to settle, and indeed its attention did turn to Evie, though it was with curious stares. Two of the heads titled to look at her, blinking their red eyes at her thoughtfully. The middle one was quick to make up its mind that it liked her and eagerly licked her face.

"Alright, easy there, girls," Evie laughed, feeling more at ease now that she was sure it wasn't going to bite her.

Carefully, she placed the dog down and knelt beside it, offering it her hand to sniff. The three-heads smelt her hand then it's single tail began wagging excitedly. It leapt up onto her, paws resting on her chest, and all three heads ambushed her face and neck with their tongues. Evie laughed - though she was slightly grossed out - and tried to gently push the beast away.

"Easy, girls! Easy! You're going to ruin my make-up!"

It was a little unsettling being so close to a dog with three heads, but it was so excitable and affectionate that it was easy to forget its unusual traits. It seemed friendly enough, with the exception of its dislike for Zevon - but then again, who did like that boy? If Evie had held some fondness for the boy it was long gone after he had abandoned her, even if it had worked out okay in the end.

"What are you doing out so late, huh, girls?" Evie asked softly as she ran her hands over the two of the puppy's head, much to their delight. The middle one tried to nudge the left head out the way so that Evie would pet it instead. Seeing the middle ones jealous antics made her giggle and she gave it a scratch behind the ear. 

"I hope she isn't giving you any trouble."

With a smile still on her face, Evie looked up to see who had spoken. Her smile dropped, replaced with wariness. It was the boy from a few weeks ago, the one she had seen at the marketplace and later on at the fountain during the night market. He was dressed much the same, in his hoody with its spiked shoulders, black three-quarters length trousers, combat boots, and his face hidden behind his hood.

"Not at all," Evie replied. "Is she your dog?"

"Yipe. She's an old family pet," the boy said, his lips curling into a smile. "And is supposed to be a terrifying guard dog but as usual, she's being a little traitor."

"What's her name?" Evie asked, turning her attention back to the puppy. She was lying on her back now, paws in the air. Evie obliged her in a tummy rub which sent the pup into a delighted frenzy, each head letting out pleased whines.

"Cerberus."

"What, like the guardian of the Underworld, Cerberus?" Evie asked jokingly, amused at such a tiny and adorable creature being named after something as fearsome and monstrous as the guardian of the Underworld. Though she supposed it made perfect sense with the three heads and bad attitude when provoked. 

"Exactly like that."

Evie was startled to find the boy suddenly kneeling next to her - when had he moved? - his hand reaching out to tickle behind one of the puppies head's ear. All three-heads opened their eyes, happiness flashing in them as they noticed who was now stroking them. The puppy rolled over and leapt up onto the boy, attempting to lick his face only to be gently batted away. The boy wagged his finger in the dog's faces, chiding them for their behaviour.

Evie found herself drawn to the spiked collar around the middle puppy's neck, the fairy light's having caught off the medallion dangling from it. Evie reached out and held it between her fingers. It was a grey, elongated skull. Just like the graffiti that had been appearing all over the Isle the last few weeks.

"You said that this was your dog?" Evie asked lightly, quirking an eyebrow at the boy. "And just who are you?"

"Hayden," the boy replied. Evie watched as he reached up with both hands and pulled back his hood, revealing thick, neon blue hair that partially covered one of his eyes. Evie blinked, startled by the colour of his eyes, they were a bright amber colour and almost seemed to glow in the darkness. "Son of Hades."

Evie felt her blood run cold.

This was the son of Hades? The God of the Underworld?

Evie hadn't heard much about Hayden, other than that he and his gang of villains - the Ghouls - reined terror in the Undercity. It was a place Evie had never dared venture and she had no desire to, even her mother forbid it. It was a city build inside the underground passageways and caverns below the Isle and was where the more frightening and monstrous creatures were banished. It was said to be a dark and treacherous place, the city hidden by a labyrinth of crumbling and tight tunnels, monsters lurking around every corner. 

And this was Hayden, someone who made his home in such a dreadful place and still had a smile on his face despite it all.

The puppy let out a content whine as Hayden scratched her sides. Evie's eyes went back to the dog and she realized with a jolt that this dog wasn't named after Cerberus, the legendary beast that guarded the Underworld, it literally  _was_ Cerberus.

"She's a lot... smaller than I expected," Evie commented carefully as she rose to her feet, no longer comfortable to pet the creature.

"The barrier and it's magic restricting properties have diminished her," Hayden replied, sounding annoyed by the fact. "You should have seen her in her hay day. She was quite the sight to see."

Evie bet she was and for once in her life, she was happy the barrier was in place. She didn't want to see what this cute, little puppy looked like in its true form. Her mind couldn't help but wonder what Carlos would think to know that this legendary dog was living on the same island as him. The poor boy would have had a heart attack!

Hayden looked up at her, still contently scratching the dog like it really was just an average, fun-loving, playful puppy and not a terrifying monster that had once shaken the ground as it walked and devoured anything that tried to approach the Underworld unwelcome.

"You're a long way from home," Evie muttered, quickly reassessing the situation.

It was unnerving to know that the hidden foe she had been searching for was a demigod. Evie had to remind herself that Hayden may be the son of a God but here, he was just like her. Magicless. It put them on an equal footing.

Still, she was nervous, she was too clever not to be. When making enemies her mother had always advised her caution and reminded her that one day they could all be free, and making powerful enemies while on the Isle could have disastrous consquences once they were off the Isle and had their powers restored. Evie was pretty sure her mother would keel over at discovering her daughter was readying to par swords with divinity. Powerful her family may be but they were only witches. What could a witch do against a God? Evie knew she had to tread carefully.

"It gets a little boring in the Undercity," Hayden replied, shrugging his shoulders. "I like to cause a little mischief up top every now and again."

"So I noticed," Evie replied dryly. "You've ruined quite a few of the VK tags."

"Oh, did I?" Hayden blinked up at her innocently.

"I don't know how things work down below but up here that's considered a declaration of war. Is that your intention?"

"What if it is?" Hayden asked, ruffling the fur on one of Cerberus's heads.

Evie frowned, not pleased where the conversation was heading. Having a war break out was not what she wanted, even if she knew it was more than likely to happen. Who wouldn't take advantage of the VKs being down three powerful members? Evie knew it was inevitable that at least one of the other villainous factions would challenge the VKs for territory, she had just been certain that it would be Uma and her gang. The idea that it would be an Undercity dweller, a demigod at that, was what surprised and alarmed her the most.

"Don't take it personally," Hayden said after a moment, rising to his feet. "It's not just the VK territory that I'm after, it's the entire Isle."

"You're ambitious," Evie said with a little laugh. "And you think you can just crawl out the woodworks and everyone will let that happen?"

Evie didn't know how much territory Hayden held in the Undercity - if any - she wasn't even sure if that's how it operated down there. She knew for certain he held no territory up top and taking territory was hard enough without having any as a starting point. To take over the entire Isle he would need a lot of players on his team. She would need to do some snooping later, find out how many Ghouls he had, who they were and what their skills were.

"I wasn't planning on giving any of you an option," Hayden said with a sinister smirk.

Evie smiled, fluttering her lashes at him. She took a step closer to him and looked up at him, her eyes challenging. "If it's war you want then it's war you'll get."

"Question is, what side will you be on?" Hayden smiled, and it annoyed Evie how charming it was, dimples and all.

Evie gave him a funny look. "Obviously, I'll be on the VK's side. What other side would I be on?"

"You could always be on my side," Hayden suggested with a shrug.

"Oh, really?" Evie chuckled, slightly taken aback by the preposterous proposal. "That would certainly make life easier for you now wouldn't it? One less enemy to deal with."

"It would," Hayden conceded. "But you know who it would really make life easier for? You. After all, how much longer do you think the VKs will be able to hold their power here while three of their main four are away gallivanting in the land of sunshine and rainbows?"

"I'm still here and so are the rest of the VKs," Evie pointed out.

Even without Mal, Jay and Carlos the VKs were a large and strong group on the Isle. They would be able to keep hold of their territory, with or without the others.

"I guess we'll have to wait and find out, won't we?"

Evie took a step closer, bringing them close enough that their chests almost touched. Hayden glanced down at her, his eyes fleetingly falling to her lips before meeting her eyes again. He tilted his head, quirking an eyebrow in question.

"Listen here, and listen well," Evie whispered, "stay out of the VK's territory. You're more than welcome to pass through but that's our zone for mischief. Got it?"

"And if I don't?" Hayden challenged with a roughish smile.

"Try it and find out," Evie's voice was as sweet as it was poisonous. "Have a nice night, Hayden."

"You too, Evie. Pleasant dreams."

* * *

_Two years ago..._

Hayden lounged on his dark throne, idly playing with a chess piece. It was designed to look like Lythos, a massive monster made of rock with two heads and blazing, red eyes - his father's favourite Titan.

With a sigh, Haydn pocketed the piece and glanced around his gloomy home. It was a grim cavern, hidden far under the ground of the Isle of the Lost. In the centre of the room was a circular, stone table with a flat map of the world etched onto it. He had styled this room to look like his father's office back in the Underworld, though it was nothing as grand as the real deal.

Irritably, his eyes fell to the clock nailed to the wall. His guests would be arriving soon. Hayden swung his legs to the floor and stood up, dusting off his clothes and running a hand through his hair.

Right on time, a chilling gust of wind blew through the cavern. Hayden crossed his arms, watching with barely contained envy as the Fates - Lachesis (Fate of the Past), Clotho (Fate of the Present), and Atropos (Fate of the Future) - appeared before him in a wisp of smokey magic.

Lachesis was the taller of the three, with a pointed nose and light blue skin. Clotho had mint green skin and a very long chin, with ragged strands of blonde hair peeking out from her hood. The last Fate, Atropos, was the shortest and had purple hair and only one eye socket which currently held the red eye that the three sister's shared. All three of them were dressed in dark robes, their hoods pulled over their heads.

At that very moment, the Fates were the only creatures with magic on the Isle, the only ones who could come and go as they pleased. It was their neutral nature that gave them such a privilege. They weren't good but they also weren't bad.

Hayden had requested a visit for them, and after months of waiting, finally, they had come.

"Hello, ladies," Hayden said, flashing them a charming smile. "It's been a long time since I've seen you. Thank you for coming on such  _short_ notice."

He couldn't help the little dig, irked that he was so low on their priority list. It couldn't truly be helped, son of a God he may be, but he still only a demigod who had yet to reach his full potential - something that would garner him all the power and respect he deserved. Until then, he was second to the Gods.

But not for long.

"I want your counsel," be began to say, striding towards the decorative map and placing his hands flat on top of it. "You see, I want to-"

"Become a full-fledged God like your father. We know," the three Fates said in sync.

Hayden had to take in a deep breath to calm his rising anger. He hated being interrupted but losing his temper and snapping at the three crones would get him nowhere. He needed to stay on their good side. There were no laws that said they  _had_ to tell him what he wanted. If he wanted intel he would have to draw it out of them, much like his father had many aeons ago, through charm and finesse.

"Correct and-"

"You need to know how. We know!" all three Fates cut in again.

"I  _know_ you  _know_ ," Hayden gritted out sharply, his hands tightening into fists. Gods, he had forgotten how frustrating these all-knowing immortals could be. "It still has to be said. So, can you help me?"

"We can't interfere," Lachesis muttered.

"Well, not always," Clotho smiled cheekily.

"But we can most certainly advice," Atropos added.

"So tell me, how do I become immortal?" Hayden asked, eyes lighting up at the prospect.

"As all demigods do, you must earn it," Lachesis replied with a sniff. "All demigods have the potential to become Gods, that divine power is stored away within them. To unleash it you much prove yourself worthy of it."

Hayden had suspected it was something along those lines yet it was still too vague an answer for his liking. He wanted details. He wanted absolute certainty.

"Like Hercules did?" Hayden asked warily, displeased by the notion of following in his father's enemies footsteps. Hercules had earned the right to his stolen Godhood by proving himself to be a true hero. Someone who was pure, good and filled with honour, a man willing to sacrifice himself for others. None of that was anything Hayden strived to be. 

"Something like that," Atropos said off-handedly.

"I will not become a hero," Hayden spat, disgusted. "There has to be another way."

"We never said you had to be a hero to become a God," Lachesis replied, gruesomely snatching the eyeball from Atropos eyesocket and shoving it into her left one. "We said you have to prove yourself worthy. Demigods in the past have done so either be feats of great good... or.... great evil. Which one it is, is your decision."

"Though don't expect the muses to be singing your praises if you choose the path of villainy," Atropos remarked with a snort.

"I'll never get the chance to prove myself while locked away on this wretched Isle," Hayden spat, crossing his arms.

There was only so much trouble he could cause on the Isle and really what point was there? It would achieve nothing but making him King of the lost and unwanted on a speck of unworthy land. It would be nothing to crow about. What he wanted was the world. That, surely, would earn him his true divinity. Then nothing could stop him.

"Is there any way to break free of the barrier?"

Clotho plucked the eyeball from Lachesis and shoved it into her right eye socket. "Well, there might be. Just not yet."

Astopos and Lachesis, sensing where the conversation was going, scowled at their sister and hushed her. Clotho was well known for being a little too generous with information when it came to matters of the future. She was far too excitable, eager to share the gossip she was privy too. Her sister's scolded her for it often, though they too were just as guilty, Clotho having them wrapped around her little finger, the two older Fates unable to deny their younger sister much.

"Oh," Hayden's eyes lit up, a pleasant smile on his face. "What do you mean?"

"We're not supposed to reveal the future!" Lanchesis snapped, sticking her nose up. A spider slid down from inside her nostril and with a large sniff, the Fate sucked it back up her nose.

"It's only fair, we did help his father," Clotho pointed out.

"And look how that turned out," Lachesis retorted.

"It'll be different this time," Clotho replied. "Besides, the poor boy's been trapped here all his life. A little hope could do him wonders."

"Soft-hearted, old fool!"

"Lachesis be nice to Clotho," Astopos scolded. She leaned over to Lachesis, covering her mouth from Clotho's view so she could not lip read what she was whispering. "You don't need divination powers to know she'll snitch you to mother again if you don't."

Lachesis scoffed but nodded in agreement.

"Alright, fine! But I'm not taking the blame this time if it doesn't go as planned!"

Clotho grinned excitedly, carefully removing the eye and holding it into the air. It levitated a few inches from the palm of her hand before glowing brightly and widening to the size of a large disk. The pupil and iris faded and an image formed inside it.

In the floating disk, Hayden saw four teenagers, two boys and two girls. From their clothes, he could tell they were residents of the Isle. They were running around the town up top, causing all sorts of mayhem and playing nasty tricks on people, tripping them up, stealing from them and laughing evilly the whole time.

The image shifted again, this time showing him a young boy in a pristine, blue suit, a golden crown upon his head. He looked like a prince, standing tall and proud while he spoke, though no words could be heard leaving his lips.

_"Two year from now a prince shall send a letter, and many villains will find themselves embittered,"_ Clotho sang softly, seemingly entranced by the images playing out on the disk.

_Oh, great, you're speaking in verse_ , Hayden thought with a sigh, looking heavenward. He should have remembered the Fates fondness of rhythms and riddles.

_"Freedom for four villain's children shall be the news-"_

Hayden frowned, watching the image change. He saw Maleficent in her mighty dragon form, four teenagers dressed in beautiful gowns and suits standing before her. It was the same villain children from the first image the disk had shown. He wasn't sure where they were, but it clearly wasn't anywhere on the Isle, considering the lavish and expensive decor.

_"-and with their power evil shall lose."_

Maleficent's screeched silently in the disk, flames engulfing her as she fell to the floor. The image changed to the four teenagers standing arm in arm, smiling and laughing, everyone around them cheering and clapping at their bravery.

_"The strength of evil is as good as none when stands before four hearts as one,"_  Clotho finished.  _"Villain after villain they will defeat, evil shall find no retreat."_

"A word of caution to this tale," Astopos added, lifting a finger. "If you choose to fight against them as they are, you too shall fall."

Hayden circled the image of the four villain children, hatred twisting his face into a vicious growl. These pathetic mortals were going to be strong enough to defeat evil, again and again? Even him? That would not do, it would not do at all. They had to be dealt with. Already his mind set to work, spinning intricate plans and plots. He would not be defeated, especially not by four back-stabbing, little traitors!

"Who are they exactly?" Hayden asked darkly, glowering. He couldn't wait to wipe the smiles off their faces.

Clotho pointed to each descendant as she named them, her long finger curling around their frozen image. "Mal, daughter of Maleficent and the leader of the VKs. Jay, her right-hand man and son of Jafar. Carlos, the son of Cruella De Vil." The Fate glanced at the demigod before pointing to the last person. "And last but not least, Evie, the daughter of the Evil Queen."

Hayden frowned, taking a step closer to look at the last girl. She was a pretty little thing, with hair as dark as pitch half pinned up and the rest cascading around her in lovely waves. She was dressed in his favourite colour blue - albeit a much darker shade - wearing a gorgeous gown fit for a princess, a tiara on her head and a heart necklace around her neck. And there was something about the girl, something vaguely familiar.

"I know her," Hayden muttered, more so to himself. "How do I know her?"

"Don't you remember, Little One?" Lachesis asked. 

"Give it time and I'm sure you shall," Clotho said reassuringly with a smile. "Much will become clear when you do."

"Can't you just tell me?" Hayden asked, quirking an eyebrow.

Astopos smacked him lightly on the arm and wagged her finger at him. "We can't do all the work for you. Besides, some things are better to find out on your own. Why spoil the surprise?"

"I don't like surprises," Hayden glared at the little Fate.

"You'll like this one, trust me," Astopos said and would have winked had she been able to. "Until we meet again, Hayden. Take care and good luck."

"You'll need it," Lachesis added snidely. 

The three Fates began laughing as their bodies vanished into thin air. Hayden scowled at the empty room, listening to the fading laughter of the Fates.

It had certainly been an enlightening experience, if annoyingly vague. At least he had some answers now.

To become a God he had to prove himself worthy. What better way was there to achieve that than ripping down the barrier and taking over the world that had dared imprison him and his father? It would go down in history, there was no way he could be denied the status of a God by accomplishing such a feat. Although the Fates hadn't outright told him how to bring down the barrier, by mentioning the four VKs and their ticket to freedom, they had hinted that the key to his success lied on how he dealt with them.

_The strength of evil stands as none when stands before four hearts as one?_  What if he took away one of those hearts? Would they still stand as strong against evil? Perhaps they could but for how long? That one little change could be all he needed to tilt the scales in his favour, to change the fate that had been laid before him. No one had ever told him if destiny was set in stone or if it could be altered. He was going to have to find out on his own.

And he knew exactly what he would do and who he would use to make it happen.

He wasn't sure what her connection to him was, but he knew there was something that existed between him and the daughter of the Evil Queen, Evie. There was something nagging him about her, something that evaporated into smoke each time he reached for it. The Fates had outright admitted that he knew her, he just had to remember. Remember what though? What was he forgetting? He was certain he had never met her before yet the Fates had made it clear that he had.

Whatever it was he would find out. Unfortunately for Evie, that enigma made her his target, the key cog in his master plan. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Fates were so much fun to write! They shall be back :3


	3. The Gates of Tartarus

"Are you serious? And you called my plan to take over the Isle with llamas stupid?" 

Evie scowled at Zevon as they approached the cave entrance. If he wanted to be redeemed for abandoning her two weeks ago in the alley, then he had to be the one to come with her on her spy mission. They needed intel on the Ghouls. They needed to know where their base was, how many of them there was, what their talents and skills were, and anything else they could find. 

Over the last three weeks, the Ghouls had been making their name known across the Isle. They had been continuing their graffiti spree over other gangs marks, had roughed up a few members of opposing factions, and had stolen from and smashed up several shops in town. They were growing bolder with every day and Evie needed to put a stop to it or find a way to get them to back off before they targeted the VKs. 

"We need to find their base, Zevon," Evie replied. "And that means we need to go to the Undercity."

The entrance to the Undercity -  or rather, the network of tunnels and caves that would lead to it - was as imposing as it was magnificent. It was like an entrance to an ancient Greek temple, with massive, stone pillars with 3-D carvings of monstrous beasts and fallen warriors spiralling around them. There was a staircase leading up to the entrance, rows of torches, which lit up upon walking by, at either side. The locals in the dark forest that surrounded the cave called it The Gateway to Tarturus. No one dared come close to it and those that did were soon scared off by the roars or what lived inside. 

"We go in there, we're dead."

"You don't go in there, you're dead," Evie snapped. 

"It's meant to be a labyrinth!" Zevon cried in exasperation. "How are we going to find the Undercity, never mind Hayden's base!"

"Madame Mim told me that there is a way to navigate the tunnels, otherwise how would the people who live down there find their way about? They need to come up top to get food and other stuff you can't get down there," Evie explained as she began her ascent of the stairs. 

Zevon scoffed and stayed at the bottom, refusing to budge. "What does Madame Mim know about the Undercity?"

"Apparently she dated one of the Underground Dwellers. Or so she says," Evie replied off-handedly. "Now come, chicken!" 

Zevon let out a miserable groan before trudging after Evie, dragging his feet into the dark opening. 

"How do we find our way through these tunnels?" Zevon whispered. "And without getting eaten!"

Evie shone her flashlight over one of the walls and let out a small victory cheer when she spotted what she was looking for. "Look, see that mark on the wall? The arrows point towards the Undercity. We just have to follow them and it'll keep us clear of any monster liars." 

Provided there were no monsters out for a wonder that was. Evie felt it best not to tell Zevon that. Hopefully, they would get lucky and not encounter any creatures. If they did they though - knock wood that wouldn't - then had a bag filled with smoke and sleeping bombs to aid them. 

Evie moved her flashlight, lighting up chalk drawings on the walls. They were of all manners of monsters and beasts, some with razor sharp teeth, claws, scales and fur. Some were familiar figures in stories Evie had heard, others were strangers, ones she had no desire to meet. Many of the chalk beasts were drawn mid-battle, strews of crudely drawn people lying at the beast's feet or being batted away by a clawed paw or tail. It was a dire warning to anyone entering the tunnels. Beware what lies within.

"Those are creepy."

Zevon and Evie shrieked in surprise at the third voice, both their flashlights darting to the source. It was Dizzy Tremaine, looking just as startled as them.

"Dizzy, what are you doing here? Did you follow us?" Evie asked, annoyed.

"I wanted to help you!"

"Dizzy, I told you it's too dangerous!"

"Aw, let her come," Zevon said with a careless wave of his hand. "She's already here and you did say you know how to avoid all the monsters."

Evie glared at Zevon for not backing her up on this. The Undercity was no place for a little girl. It wasn't even a place that anyone should go!

"Besides, if you send her out she'll need to go through the Dark Forest by herself. She's safer with us."

"Please, Evie. I'll be fine, don't worry!"

Evie groaned.  "Fine, but if you die don't come crying to me."

Zevon looked up in alarm at the prospect of death, taking it to heart. Dizzy knew Evie was jesting and smiled widely.

"I won't!"

"Then let's get moving," Evie sighed.

The trio walked in silence, tense and on edge. Dizzy seemed perfectly content walking through the dark and eerie tunnels. Zevon jumped at every unusual sound, from creaks, water drips and the odd but distant howls that Evie passed off as drafts. Although afraid and wary of her unfamiliar surroundings, Evie barely flinched. She had lived in a castle in the middle of the Dark Forest all her life. She was used to unending darkness and things that went bump in the night.

"Hey, Zevon, how come you're alright with me coming along?" Dizzy asked quietly, mainly so Evie wouldn't hear. 

Zevon leaned down and whispered. "You're old enough to make your own choices."

Dizzy smiled and skipped ahead to walk beside Evie. She didn't hear Zevon mutter that he had a better chance of outrunning Dizzy with her shorter legs than he did Evie. As they say, you don't have to outrun anything chasing, you just have to be faster than those beside you. 

"This is so not worth it," Zevon muttered aloud, after nearly half an hour of walking. 

A part of Evie agreed. The faction politics of the Isle had never made sense to her, she had always found it pointless and nothing more than conquests for fruitless power. It was only when she became friends with Mal and joined the VKs by default, that she found herself embroiled in it. Now it was duty rather than desire or ambition that drove her forward in VK affairs. Being in these gloomy, dark and cold tunnels with the possibility of monsters slinking in the shadows made Evie question the sanity of it all again. 

"We are going to die and for what?" Zevon continued to whine, tossing his head back. "Mal will never even know I died for-"

"Shh!" Evie slapped her hand over Zevon's mouth. She placed her other hand's fingers over her lips, motioning for him to be quiet.

They were not alone in the tunnels. Evie had heard a faint noise, like a rock being kicked, from around the bend in the tunnel. Zevon took the hint and nodded. Evie removed her hand, waving for him and Dizzy to follow her, quietly. 

"Zevon, pass me a sleeping bomb," Evie whispered as she neared the bend. 

Zevon blinked in confusion. "The sleeping bomb?"

Evie spun around, biting her lip to stop herself from screaming at the boy. "You didn't bring them?" 

"I thought you were bringing them!"  

"I told you to bring them! I  _told_ you! Frankie even reminded you, three times! You're telling me that we're completely defenceless right now?" She wanted to scream, she wanted to tackle the boy to the ground and shake him. How could he forget their only protection? How could a boy so smart in chemistry and his classes be so foolish? Where was his common sense? 

They were so getting eaten.

"Let's just leave!" Zevon whispered, panicked.

"If we don't have weapons that might be a good idea," Dizzy added.

Evie grudgingly nodded. It was too risky to go any further without provisions. They would have to come back. This had been a waste of time, a dangerous, waste of time!

"Well, well, well, what have we here?" a musical like voice, one that was painfully familiar to Evie, drawled.

All around the VKs flames burst into to life as wooden torches were lit, each held by grim looking faces.

The Ghouls.

It was a fitting name considering how morbid they all looked. They were seven of them, all dressed in black clothing, fishnets, chains and leathers. Each one of them had various degrees of neon blue in their hair, which Evie guessed was some show of loyalty to their leader. 

"Trespassers!" one of the Ghouls hissed.

"Spies!" another one mumbled darkly.

Well, they weren't wrong but Evie wasn't going to own up to that now was she?

Was it a coincidence that Hayden and his Ghouls had stumbled upon them? Had it just been dumb luck? Or had they known the VKs were coming? It was an unsettling question, one that raised more troubling plausibilities and queries. If Hayden had known then did it mean someone in the know had told him? Did she have a traitor in her group? Or did Hayden have more eyes up top than she realised and had figured out what she was doing? 

"Fancy meeting you here, Hayden," Evie replied casually, a soft smile on her face. "Friends of yours?"

"My Ghouls," Hayden said, gesturing to his gang with a grand flourish.

She had guessed as much.

"Well if you don't mind, we'll just be on our way," Zevon said, tugging at Evie and Dizzy's sleeves.

In an eerie synchronization, two Ghouls slid behind the VKs, blocking their escape. There were amused smirks on their faces and Evie realised with a sense of dread that it was unlikely they were getting out of this without a fight. Hayden wasn't an idiot, that much she was certain. You couldn't be a leader of a villainous faction without having some smarts, wits and skills behind you. He had to know why they were down here, it wasn't hard to deduce. No one ventured to the Undercity, especially not youngsters. The only reason for the VKs to be here was snooping on the enemy. And that would not be allowed without consequence. 

Hayden snapped his fingers and two of the other Ghouls grabbed Zevon by the arms while another one grabbed Dizzy and lifted her up. Evie whirled around, ready to lash out at the girl grabbing Dizzy, but another two grabbed her own arms and yanked her back.

"What is your problem? Let us go!" Evie shouted, trying to pull free from the Ghouls grasps.

Hayden tsked, shaking his head. There was a look of disapproval on his face, like they were disobedient children. 

"You're lucky you didn't run into any monsters," Hayden chided. 

Despite his laid-back smile, Evie could see the cold fury in his eyes. He was angry that they had come all the way down here. Was he annoyed that she wasn't backing down? That she was willing to hunt down and snoop in his lair to find out ways to beat him? What did he expect? She was a VK and they didn't back down.

"You could have wound up dead if one of my Ghouls hadn't spotted you and your little friends," Hayden said, his smile tightening.

Evie blinked. What did he care whether or not she - or her friends - got hurt? He had made it clear that they were enemies.

"I'm perfectly aware of the dangers down here, but thanks for your concern," Evie replied flippantly.

Hayden scoffed and let out a chuckle. He shook his head and came closer to stare down at her, his eyes ablaze with the fierceness he wouldn't show on his face.

"I really don't think you do," Hayden said quietly. "Do you know what lies further down that tunnel?" Hayden pointed down the dark expanse they had been heading towards. "Want to know what beast's mouth you were walking blissfully towards? _The Hydra!_ "

"What's a Hydra?" Zevon asked, nervously peering down the tunnel.

Hayden didn't bother to glance at Zevon, his eyes kept firmly on Evie. He didn't move an inch and Evie found herself suffocating under his nearness and the intensity of his stare. When he spoke, it was in a sinister whisper.

"The Hydra was one of my father's pets. A three-headed dragon-like beast as tall as a temple with frightful strength and the ability to regenerate its heads, no matter how many times they were lopped off. Even Hercules had a hard time dealing with it."

"You're lying," Dizzy shouted. "In the story Hercules killed it!"

"And Beauty and the Beast brought it back, along with every other villain and monster who perished at the goodies hands. They wanted to make them suffer more and thus, here they are," Hayden explained, glancing at Dizzy. "Why do you think you never see any of the big monsters from the stories up top? They're all down here, trapped in the labyrinth of tunnels and caverns. Which is another stupid reason to travel down here." He turned his attention back to Evie. "Do you realise how easily you could have been lost? Left to wander the darkness, with monsters lurking around every corner, for the rest of your life? However short that might have been."

"We were following the arrows," Evie hissed, fed up with him treating her like she was clueless, like she was a child. "They would have led us to the Undercity."

"They did, until some very naughty children decided to switch the arrows about and point them in the direction of the Hydra's laid, you know, to mess with any unwitting travellers," Hayden filled her in.

Evie felt her blood run cold at the danger she had been leading her friends towards. She would wager her favourite tiara that it was Hayden who had altered the arrows, judging from the smug smirk at the corner of his lips. 

"Why do you care?" Evie was aware she was in no position to mouth off, considering she was outnumbered and in enemy grounds, but Hayden's snide and superior attitude was grating on her nerves. "If we're dead it makes it all the easier for you to take over the Isle, doesn't it?"

Hayden looked at Evie for a long moment before a bright smile erupted onto his face. "I suppose you're right. Ghouls, kill em."

Dizzy and Zevon cried out as the Ghouls holding them shoved them forward. The VKs were forced around the bend, leading them into a massive cavern. For a moment, Evie thought she was outside, back up top, for high above them were clusters and clusters of glowing, blue stars. Then she remembered she lived on the Isle and no stars could grace their skies. It was glowworms, illuminating the cavern in a ghostly, blue glow. Below it, stretching out into the far off distance, was a frightening looking black lake, with choppy waves despite the lack of winds. There was a faint whiff of salt in the air, different to the damp smell in the other tunnels.  

Hayden motioned for his Ghouls to toss Dizzy and Zevon over. One of the Ghouls who was carrying a torch followed them, and with the light from the flame, Evie realised they were standing on a hazardous looking cliff edge. 

Evie began struggling even more, like a feral beast in her captor's grip, hissing, snarling and trying to hurt them. Hayden turned his back to her, his arms crossed, and watched the other two VKs being brought to the crumbling edge of the cliff where the Ghouls awaited the final nod of approval. For whatever reason, Evie hadn't been taken to the cliff edge. The cold-hearted rat was probably going to make her watch her friends perish first, then toss her in. 

"Do you want to know what's in that lake?" Hayden asked casually, almost pleasantly. 

Dizzy and Zevon looked at the demigod with wide-eyes, dread stirring in the pits of their stomachs as they knew whatever he told them would be anything but nice. In the black waters below, dark shapes glided through the water, the occasional bubbles rising to the surface, betraying their presence. 

"The only monsters in the sea you've had to contend with is sharks. But down here? The things in the water are from the darkest reaches of your nightmares," Hayden whispered, eyes gleaming with cruel delight. "Sirens that will sing a sweet lullaby as they drag you to the murky depths and watch you drown. Monsters with tentacles that embrace you so tightly that it squeezes the life out of you. And those are the lucky options. Some of these lakes hold much,  _much_ worse."

Hayden walked over to the edge, glancing down into the dark waters, his voice echoing around them as he spoke. "Ever wonder where they put the Kraken? How about my favourite, old sea-serpent Ceto? And I'm sure you have all heard legends of the Leviathan. I forget which lake that resides in. Maybe it's this one?"

Around them, the Ghouls chuckled at their leader's joke. The VKs didn't see the funny side. 

Dizzy kept up a brave face but it was clear the girl was terrified, tears slipping free from her eyes as her body trembled. Zevon was faring no better, grunting as he tried to break free of the two Ghouls holding either of his arms.

"Enough!" Evie shouted, still frantically struggling to free herself. "Let them go!"

"Why should I?" Hayden asked, whirling on his heels to look at her. He titled his head, his bright hair falling over his eye. "As you pointed out, the less of you there are the easier it is for me. I'll take your advice, Princess."

"Dizzy isn't a VK. She's just a little girl!" Evie said quickly. "And Zevon-"

Well, Zevon was a VK, and although she was still miffed that he had left her to the mercy of a snarling dog that turned out to be Cerberus - guardian of the Underworld, not that he'd known - the boy had tried to make amends by following her into the Undercity. He didn't deserve to be eaten or ripped apart by whatever horrors lurked in those waters.

"-Zevon was just following orders," Evie said, and the words sounded lame to her ears. "I'm the leader of the VKs while Mal's gone. If you want to throw anyone in there then toss me in. Just let them go."

"Evie, no!" Dizzy shouted, only to have a Ghoul clamp their hand over her mouth, shutting her up.

"How about we just call this an innocent mistake and we can all go on our merry ways?" Zevon said with a nervous laugh.

Hayden glanced over his shoulder, quirking an eyebrow at the boy. Zevon took the hint and kept quiet.

"Let me think," Hayden made a big show of thinking it over, tapping his chin thoughtfully and pacing a little. Suddenly, he snapped his fingers, a cheerful look on his face like he had just come up with a clever solution. "How about this, I'll let Ditsy and Llama Boy here go. However, you'll owe me a favour, Evie."

"What kind of favour?" Evie narrowed her eyes.

"That's for me to know and you to find out."

Evie recoiled, her body tense with discomfort. She had never been into the business of deal-making. It was a tricky industry, one her mother had always adviced her against. Deals could benefit one greatly but they were so easy to bend, twist and find loopholes in that they could backfire on you and in the most devasting of ways. It was a constant game, a thrilling and dangerous high-risk one, where the power you wielded was always on the line. To be in the debt of anyone, much less an enigmatic demigod, was not a road Evie wanted to go down.

At her silence, Hayden shrugged and casually waved his hand. His Ghouls took it as a command and readied to toss Dizzy and Zevon over the cliff. Their desperate cries brought Evie out of her conflict and she shouted for them to stop. Hayden lifted a hand up and the Ghouls obeyed, stilling.

"Fine," Evie gritted out. "You have a deal. I'll owe you a favour but only if you let all of us go, that includes me."

She had listened carefully and Hayden hadn't included her in his offer. She wasn't about to let him exclude her from freedom. 

"Alright," Hayden said, "I'll let all three of you go. I'll even be a perfect gentleman and escort you out of the Undercity. Wouldn't want you to get gobbled up by any monsters, now would we?"

Hayden clicked his fingers and the Ghouls let go of the VKs. Dizzy ran over to Evie, wrapping her arms around her waist and Evie held her close, soothing her hair back and telling her everything would be okay. Zevon hurried over to stand beside them, eyeing the Ghouls bitterly. None of them noticed the quick glare Hayden cast the VKs way. 

"As fun as all this has been, I think we'd like to leave now," Dizzy said quietly. 

"I'm with you there," Zevon muttered. 

"Stick close and don't wander off," Hayden replied, a little harshly. "Evie, since you and I are the leaders of our respective groups, why don't we lead the way?"

Evie scowled at the boy but nodded, passing Dizzy over to Zevon to take care of. The group began making their way through the tunnels. At some point - and Evie wasn't quite convinced it wasn't intentionally done - the Ghouls had managed to subtly come between Evie and the other VKs. Dizzy and Zevon found themselves at the back of the group, a couple of Ghouls in front of them, whose slow pace allowed for a bit of a gap to form between them and Hayden and Evie, who where at the front of the group. With the space between them, their voices would not be heard by the others provided they whisper. 

"What were you doing down here anyway?" Hayden asked.

"None of your business," Evie replied tartly. She was still convinced he already knew, he was just trying to get her to own up to it. 

"No one from up top travels down here, not unless they have a death wish." Hayden's eyes lit up and a far to perfect smile appeared on his face. "Did you come all this way down here for me then?"

Evie scoffed and sweetly said. "In your dreams."

Hayden choked back a chuckle, looking utterly amused by her words. Evie wasn't sure what he found so funny. 

"I've had plenty of people chase after me, but never one who dared risk getting eaten by monsters," Hayden said playfully, his eyes twinkling. "You must really like me."

"You know, considering you're a demigod of the dead, it's ironic that you're  _not_ to die for," Evie replied dryly, unimpressed with Hayden's comment and refusing to let him fluster her. 

Hayden looked ready to retort when the ground began shaking violently, fragments of rock breaking from the ceiling. Everyone wobbled and staggered, gasping as they threw themselves against the walls of the narrow tunnel for support. 

"Is that an earthquake?" Zevon shouted over the terrible rumbling and smashing of rocks. 

"Not quite," Hayden called back, gritting his teeth.

Before anyone could question what that meant a deafening roar tore through the tunnel, causing everyone to flinch. Evie realised with a sickening jolt that it wasn't an earthquake, it was one of the monsters that lived in the caves. It was on the move and it was close! How big must it be to shake the Earth like that? The tunnel finally stilled and everyone kept pressed up against the walls, fearful to move. The Ghouls were looking around the cavern warily, looking ready to bolt at a moments notice. Zevon slid down to the floor, panting heavily, Dizzy keeping a firm grip on his arm. 

"What was that?" Evie whispered, looking over at Hayden who was leaning on the wall beside her. "Tell me that wasn't one of the monsters."

"You want a lie then?"

Evie frowned, not amused. 

"We need to start moving and fast. With the echoes in the caves, it can be hard to tell where the beasts are. It could strike out from anywhere, so be vigilant-"

Another roar echoed through the tunnels, causing the walls to quake. There was a thunderous sound nearby that sounded like large footsteps, tottering closer and closer, each step shaking the cave. The vibrations were too much and the ceiling above them began giving way, huge batches of rocks pummelling to the ground. 

Evie heard Dizzy and Zevon scream her name, and before she had time to register that the roof of the tunnel was caving in above her, someone tackled her to the ground. The pair rolled away, narrowly avoiding being crushed to death. Clouds of dust took off, making it hard to see and breath. Evie coughed and spluttered as she opened her eyes, trying to figure out what had happened. 

She found Hayden lying on top of her, his elbows resting on either side of her head. He had been the one to tackle her, saving her from the collapsing ceiling. Evie got the vague sense of déjà vu as she looked up at him. She didn't have time to examine the feeling as thoughts of her friends filled her mind. Evie glanced over to where her flashlight had fallen from her hand and felt panic surge through her. She quickly shoved Hayden off of her and grabbed the flashlight, shining it over the debris blocking the tunnel. 

"Oh my god, Dizzy! Zevon!" She kept calling out for the other VKs, and after a terrifying moment, she heard coughs and shouts from the other side. Evie sighed in relief. "Thank god. Guys, can you hear me?"

"Evie! Are you alright?" Dizzy's voice, faint through the rumble, came.

"I'm fine. Is Zevon okay?"

"Unfortunately," came an unfamiliar voice, and Evie assumed it was one of the usually quiet Ghouls. "Boss, we're all still... well, let's say we're all here."

"Good to hear," Hayden called out as he rose to his feet, dusting his clothes off. "Ghouls, make sure those two get out of the cavern. You'll need to spend the night up top. I'll meet you at the base tomorrow."

"Evie?" Dizzy shouted, "what's going to happen to you?"

"I'll be fine, Dizzy. You and Zevon go with them and they'll get you out. Zevon, make sure Dizzy gets home safe! Got it?" Evie added a threatening edge to her voice, making sure the boy knew there would be dire penalties should he not keep Dizzy safe. 

"Got it, Evie!" Zevon yelled back. 

"What are going to do? I take it you know another way out?" Evie asked, turning her flashlight onto the demigod.

Hayden smirked, "of course, I do. But we're not going there yet."

"What do you mean?" Evie said sharply, narrowing her eyes.

"The beasts are awake, that means its unsafe to travel. We'll have to wait until morning," Hayden replied. 

"How do you know when its morning?"

"I'll know," Hayden said with a shrug. "Now come on, we need to get someplace safe."

Evie scowled, irked by his lack of proper answers. Hayden gestured for her to follow him and she did. They walked in silence, Hayden occasionally stopping them to peer around the edges of tunnels before continuing on. Evie wasn't quite sure where they were going, or how Hayden knew where to go, but she suspected there must be signs on the tunnel ceilings as he kept looking upwards every so often. At least, that's why she hoped he was doing it. She didn't like the thought that there were creatures on the ceiling to watch out for too. 

After about twenty minutes, Evie's flashlight fizzled out, plunging them into darkness. Evie cursed under her breath, tossing the flashlight to the ground in a fit of anger. As if they didn't have enough problems, now this?

"And now we're screwed," Evie sighed, sounding miserable. "Great!"

"We'll be fine," Hayden assured her softly. 

"Oh, can you see in the dark?" Evie mumbled sourly.

"Actually, I can," Hayden said, and she had no doubt he was grinning. "Give me your hand and I'll lead you."

"You're going to have to take it since I can't see you," Evie told him. She wasn't about to grope about in the darkness for his hand, poison apples only knows what she'd grab! 

She felt something scoldingly warm take her hand and flinched, pulling it free. She let out a yelp, clutching her hand to her chest.

"Ouch, what the hell was that?"

"Whoops," Hayden cringed. "I forget how hot I run. Give me a minute."

Evie heard Hayden rummage about in pocket before something cold tentatively touched her hand. Cautiously, she let him take it. He had put on leather gloves, shielding her skin from his. He entwined their fingers, giving her an experimentally squeeze to show her that his touch wouldn't burn her now. 

"Are you always that warm to touch?" Evie asked. 

"Runs in the family, hot as flames."

Hayden tightened his grip on her hand and led her down the tunnels, taking it slow since Evie couldn't see where she was placing her feet.

Evie let out a sigh as she followed him. 

This certainly wasn't how she had envisioned this snooping trip ending up, with her holding hands with Hayden in the dark as he led her through monster-infested tunnels. How could a plan go this awry?

"Evie, you're going to have to crouch in a moment, we're about to go through a narrow passage with a low ceiling, okay?" Hayden said as he came to a stop. "Don't stand up until I tell you."

Evie squeezed his hand in affirmation and Hayden pulled her down as he crouched. They shuffled their way through a very tight passage, the cave walls scratching against either side of them. Finally, Hayden told her she could stand. 

"And at last we see the light," Hayden sung softly as lights turned on. 

Evie blinked rapidly, her eyes taking a few minutes to adjust to the sudden light. They were in a tiny cave, more like a crevice. The dull, blue lights came from a string of miniature, battery-powered lanterns dangling across from the low ceiling that was just high enough to stand up in. There was a giant bean bag big enough for three people taking up most of the space, a thick, black blanket draped over it. 

"What is this place?"

"We call these Rabbit Holes. It's basically just a hiding place in case you find yourself in situations like ours. There's a lot of them dotted about the place, hidden and stocked. We should be safe here till morning," Hayden explained as he grabbed the blanket and pinned it above the entrance to the narrow passage they had squeezed through. "And this is a blackout curtain to try and stop any creatures noticing the lights on or spotting us while they pass by."

Evie nodded, wrapping her arms around herself as she glanced about. 

Hayden flopped down onto the bean bag, resting his arms behind his head like a pillow. He seemed perfectly at ease, even when a monstrous roar sounded off in the distance. But then again, Evie supposed he was used to this sort of thing. 

"Well, I don't know about you, but I'm going to catch some shut eye."

Uncomfortable with sharing such a small space - never mind a bed - with Hayden, Evie lowered herself to the edge of the bean bag slowly and curled up on herself, trying to make herself as small as possible. Once she was settled, Hayden reached up and switched off the lights, biding Evie good night.

For what felt like hours Evie lay there, restless and unable to sleep. She couldn't understand how Hayden had managed to doze off so easily. Evie felt tightly wound up, far too tense to sleep. Every so often she heard rumbling footsteps, the sound of large things slithering by, snarls or growls. It felt so unsafe and for the first time in a long time, Evie found herself scared of what was in the dark. It didn't help that it was freezing down there in the underground. Her body shivering must have been what woke Hayden from his slumber. 

"What's wrong?" Hayden mumbled, his voice groggy with sleep. 

"N-nothing," Evie whispered, hating how her teeth chattered. "Just... c-cold is all."

"Come here," Hayden whispered.

Evie's eyes widened and she let out a startled yelp when Hayden's arms encircled her waist, pulling her up against his chest. Instantly, she felt much warmer, Hayden's unusual body temperature making him feel like a hot water bottle. Her protests died on her lips, and reluctantly, Evie shuffled around in his tight embrace to face him so that she could hide her face in his chest, keeping it warm. As she turned she couldn't see Hayden in the darkness - and couldn't tell if his eyes were open or not - which she was thankful for. Being this close to him with how intense his eyes could be would be a little too much for her to handle. Evie buried her head into his chest, her body feeling less and less like it was turning into an ice popsicle. 

"The only reason I'm doing this is because you're ridiculously hot - strickly body temperature wise - and I'm freezing. Got it," Evie murmured, eyes narrowed threateningly. 

"I've heard that before," Hayden chuckled.

He laughed harder when Evie punched him lightly in the stomach. 

That night Evie dreamed of sunlight and fields of lilies. The boy in her dream held her tightly in his embrace, just as the boy of darkness held her close in the waking world, safe from the monsters. Fast asleep, neither noticed the blackout curtain stir from the breath of a creature lurking outside. Something had found them. And it was hungry. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anyone spot the Hunchback of Notredamn reference? :p 
> 
> Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please let me know what you think, any thoughts and theories I'd love to hear!


	4. Journals and Books

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another quick update! I am on a roll~* Decided to update early so that everyone can get a feel for the story, and because next week I'm going to be pretty busy. I also have no self-control and since the chapter was finished I had to share it. Also, I will try and answer everyone's comments later on tonight! Sorry for lack of response but thank you to everyone who leaves comments and kudos!

Hayden was the first to wake up. He let out a yawn, sleep filled eyes opened blearily. It took him a moment to register the girl in his arms and he almost thought he was dreaming. But she was warm and alive in his arms, her gentle breaths stirring her dark hair that had fallen over her face. Hayden smiled as he reached out and tucked the strands behind her ear, letting his fingers trail down her jaw.

A frown settled on his face when he noticed the blackout curtain billowing lightly. Something was outside. Carefully, so as not to wake Evie, Hayden reluctantly parted from her embrace and got to his feet, tiptoeing over to the curtain. He peered out through a gap, noticing a giant, reptilian-like, yellow eye looking inside the crevice.

The Hydra had found them.

Hayden shook his head, letting out an irritated sigh. He cast the slumbering girl on the bean bag a brief glance before slipping under the curtain and out of the rabbit hole.

The beast at the other side reared back, it's massive form taking up the majority of the tunnels space, its sides squeezed against the walls. The Hydra was a large, dragon-like creature, with light purple skin and razor-sharp spikes that trailed from the tip of its heads down to the end of its single tail. Each of its three mouths were filled with rows of pointed teeth, sharpened to a deadly point. It moved almost like a snake, slithering and graceful.

Hayden crossed his arms and leaned against the entrance to the rabbit hole, completely unbothered by the ferocious beast before him. He watched the three-headed creature disdainfully, unimpressed with having been interrupted.

"Go find someone else to chew on," Hayden gritted out lowly, amber eyes flashing threateningly in the darkness.

The Hydra's heads all narrowed their eyes, displeased at being denied. With a low hiss, the Hydra turned, crawling down the tunnel and disappeared into the darkness.

There were plenty of monsters down here to fear - many of which even Hayden had to watch out for - but the Hydra was not one of them. It was his father's pet after all. And it knew better than to try and harm him.

With the beast gone, Hayden made his way back into the crevice. He lay back down on the bean bag, content when Evie instinctively curled up against him, subconsciously seeking the missing warmth of his body. Hayden wrapped his arms around her and closed his eyes but he couldn't bring himself to sleep, not when he knew that the time he had with Evie in his arms was fading. Only The Fates knew how long it would be until he got a chance like this again. As soon as she woke up, all she would see was an enemy.

* * *

Evie woke up with a yawn and stretched her body out, arms going high in the air. Unfortunately for her companion, so unused to sharing sleeping quarters was Evie that she forgot that Hayden was beside her and accidentally smacked him in the face.

Hayden flinched, letting out a yelp as his eyes snapped open. "Ouch! What was that for?"

Evie gasped, flinging herself off the bean bag and tumbling to the ground. It took her a few moments to recover from her surprise and remember where she was and who she was with. Evie placed a hand to her rapidly beating heart, letting out a ragged breath.

"My bad, I forgot you were there."

"Thanks," Hayden mumbled, rubbing his nose.

"Is it morning yet?" Evie asked, rising to her feet.

"It is. We should be safe to leave now." Evie heard Hayden rattling about in the dark before a bright light blinded her. Evie shielded her eyes, wincing. "And here's a flashlight for you. They usually keep a few tucked away in these places."

Evie nodded and gratefully took it, clutching it tightly in her fingers. Hayden led her out the rabbit hole and through the tunnels.

"Why do you choose to stay down here?" Evie asked in wonder, curious why anyone would willingly choose to live in such a terrible place.

"It's home," Hayden said simply, though there wasn't much heart in his words.

"It's hellish, that's what it is," Evie shivered, thinking about her fitful night. "I know up top isn't paradise but its much better than down here. You don't have monsters waiting around every corner to eat you."

"The cities pretty though," Hayden remarked. "And much safer than the tunnels - usually."

"I'll take your word for it."

It didn't take too long before Evie spotted the familiar chalk drawings she had seen at the start of the tunnel systems. Daylight poured into the tunnel through the entrance and Evie practically ran the last length, eager to be out in the fresh air and sunshine.

"Thank gods," Evie murmured, closing her eyes and savouring the feel of the wind in her hair.

"Well, looks like this is where we part ways - for now," Hayden said, coming up to stand beside Evie. "It's been quite the adventurous evening, I must be."

"I guess so," Evie replied, passing him the flashlight. "Your Ghouls will have gotten Dizzy and Zevon out safely, right?"

Hayden put a hand to his heart. "I give you my word, and a God always keeps their word. Do yourself a favour though and don't attempt to come back here. No matter how long you search you won't be able to find my base. And believe me, you have no idea how  _close_ you came to having your life thread snipped."

"Got it," Evie replied tartly with a roll of her eyes. She was still rather bitter about the whole thing and didn't need Hayden pouring salts on her wounds. With her head held high, Evie turned around and started walking away.

"I mean it, Evie. Don't come back," Hayden called out from behind her, standing at the bottom of the Gates of Tarturus. "The world would be a much poorer place if you weren't in it."

Startled by his words, Evie turned around to look at Hayden, but the demigod had vanished.

* * *

That night, no dreams of sunlight and flowers came to Evie. Instead, darkness coiled around her like a serpent's grasp, suffocating her with its intensity. Evie found herself trapped in her nightmare, the dream of darkness and bleakness enveloping her.

She was drowning, her limbs weighed down by some unseen force. She struggled to open her eyes and when she did she wished she hadn't. She was in a river of death, an eerie, ghostly grey river filled with wailing spirits reaching out for her, tugging and pulling at her, stopping her from swimming to the surface. Evie cried out, acidic water scorching her throat and filling her lungs.

Evie tried to shake off the wispy phantoms, bubbles racing from her mouth as she cried out for help. Just as her vision blurred and her panic became overwhelming, something warm grabbed her by the wrist and yanked hard. Evie felt herself being ripped through the water. She gasped, spluttering and coughing as she broke the surface. Strong arms slipped under hers and pulled her to shore.

"It's alright, Evie. You're alright, I got you," a soothing voice whispered.

Evie felt someone kneel down beside her and then gather her up in their arms, holding her tightly to their chest. They were so warm and so much more pleasant than the biting cold of the river. Evie opened her eyes, a small smile appearing on her face when she saw who was holding her.

"You again."

"Me," the boy from her dreams smiled back. "Enjoy your swim?"

Evie smile faded and she shook her head. The boy nodded grimly and pulled her closer, his fingers finding their way into her hair to run through it comfortingly. His touch was warm and tender and Evie felt her heart flutter at the gesture.

"Don't worry, Evie. It's not a river I'll ever let you go in again."

It was a sweet promise, one he made everytime he pulled her from the waters. But every time she dreamed of this place, she found herself in the river again, frozen, pained and drowning. He couldn't stop it. Sometimes she would tell him this, and he would smile knowingly like she was missing the real meaning of his words.

"I hate this place," Evie whispered, burying her face into the boy's chest, unable to look around.

She knew what she would see, an enormous, nightmarish cavern with the river of death flowing through it. There were stalagmites and stalactites piercing out from the ceiling and floor like teeth of a great, fanged monster. On one end of the cavern, there was a gigantic skull carved into the wall, it's eyes ablaze with firey flames. This strange underground world was dark and cold and it filled Evie with nothing but fear.

In this dream, she wore a dark blue gown, so dark it was almost black. Glittering sparkles were sprinkled all over it and twinkled like stars with every movement. Her hair fell around her in wet tresses and she could feel the cold weight of a tiara on her head - if she could have seen it she would have seen the crystal lilies that adored it.

Evie felt the boy's grip around her tighten and didn't see the way he swallowed hard, displeased by her words. He continued to stroke her hair, keeping her in his warm embrace.

"You know this place isn't as bad as you think it is," the boy remarked gently.

"It's dark and it's gloomy," Evie muttered. "And I'm pretty sure that it's dead people in that river."

"It's... an acquired taste," the boy said with a tight laugh.

"I'd rather not acquire a taste for it," Evie mumbled, shaking her head against his chest.

"You won't have to, not if I have my way," the boy whispered, leaning down and placing a kiss upon her temple.

Evie felt those words where more for himself than her. With a frown, Evie pulled away from his chest to look at his face. "What do you mean?"

"You'll see soon enough."

* * *

Evie awoke with a start, gasping and sweating. She peered around in the darkness, her unease fading as she took in the familiar sight of her room. She smoothed her hands over her thick quality and duvets, the silky touch comforting her.

That nightmare was becoming more frequent over the past few weeks, ever since Mal and the others left.

Quickly, before she could forget it, Evie scrambled about in the cabinet by her bed, snatching up her dream journal. Each night she had her dreams she would scribble down every detail - no matter how small - on to its pages in messy caligraphy.

_River._

_A boy._

_Death._

_Cold._

_Warm._

Then nothing. Her mind went blank, the memories falling from her mind like sand through a sieve. All she knew was that she had a nightmare, something frightening and dark and that she had not been alone.

Evie sighed, running a hand through her hair which was damp with sweat. Absentmindedly, she flipped back to older pages, looking at the various scrawls. Her writing in her dream journal was not her normal elegant style, with curvy letters and pretty swirls. It was a barely legible ambush of words, written desperately before the memories could be lost to her, as they always did. Evie wasn't sure if that was how dreams were meant to be, something that was always to be forgotten.

"Ocean. Fields. White," Evie read the words from an older page, ones from the more pleasant dream. She flipped the page again. "Grass. Plants. Boy." She turned another page. "Pain. Panic. Boy. Cold." And another. "Lilies. Water. Boy."

_Lilies?_  Evie frowned, unable to stop herself from looking over to the other side of the room where the lily she had been given was pressed inside a book on her bookshelf.

With quick fingers, Evie began flipping through the pages, scanning over the words and mumbling them out loud. Lilies seemed to be a dominant factor in her dreams, always there in some form - in the fields, on her clothes, in her hair or on a crown.

Evie shook her head, placing the dream journal back in her cabinet.

Dreams were such strange things.

* * *

It was a week after the VK's failed attempt to uncover The Ghouls hideout that Hayden made his move against them. Evie and Freddie Facilier had come to their home base at Bargain Castle, only to find that it had been ransacked. The place was in disarray and giant, elongated skulls had been spray painted all over the walls.

"Well, it's not like we didn't see this coming," Freddie said dryly, placing a hand on her hip.

"Who was meant to be on watch duty last night?" Evie asked as she tiptoed into the room, careful to avoid the broken glass, splintered wood and garbage.

Only a few days ago they had heard rumours that Uma's home base, the pirate ship _The Lost Revenge_ , had been heavily damaged and vandalised by The Ghouls. Evie had felt it best to have someone constantly on guard, keeping an eye on the VK's base in case of attack.

Freddie made her way into one of the other rooms and cringed. "Um. My guess is that it was Zevon."

"Are you sure?" Evie asked, looking around for the spreadsheet that would tell them. "I'm sure it was Maddy."

"Nope, I'm  _pretty_  sure it was Zevon."

There was something in the way that Freddie said that that caused Evie to frown and make her way into the other room. Her hand flew up to her mouth and she closed her eyes, cringing. Tied to a chair with thick ropes, gagged, and covered in glue, feathers and oose, was Zevon. The poor boy looked like a terribly plucked chicken. The miserable look on his face turned to one of eagerness upon seeing his teammates, and he tried struggling to get free from his bonds, his words muffled behind the gag tied around his mouth.

Freddie shook her head and made her way over to him, gingerly removing the gag.

"Great job defending the base," Freddie said cheerfully.

"There were too many of them! What was I supposed to do?" Zevon snapped angrily.

"You weren't supposed to engage with them! You were meant to sound the alarm and all the nearby VKs would have come to your aid," Evie said with a sigh as she helped Freddie untie the knots of Zevon's restraints. "What happened?"

"I was hiding out on the rooftop across the street, keeping watch, just like you said. Everything was fine until I was ambushed by Hayden and his creepy Ghouls," Zevon explained, finally able to stand. "They dragged me in here, tied me to the chair and covered me in, well, this!"

"Gotta admit, I like their style," Freddie said with a smirk, earning her a look of disapproval from Evie. "It's a nice look on you, Zevon. An improvement, really."

Zevon gave Freddie a bitter look. "Funny."

"We can't let this go," Evie muttered, crossing her arms. "We can't just let them come in here, trash our base and attack our teammates!"

"I'm all for revenge but how?" Zevon asked, sounding irritable. "What can we do to get back at them? We don't know where their base is or any of their homes. We don't even know how to find them - they find us."

"I think the better question is, is there a point in doing anything?" Freddie asked.

Zevon frowned at her, bewildered. "What?"

"Well, it's been a while now since Mal, Jay and Carlos left for Auradon. They have to be close to bringing down the barrier. Will all this really matter in the long run?" Freddie looked at Evie. "He's a demigod. We're just witches. Do we really want to make enemies with someone like that? As soon as that barriers down the other side only knows what kinda powers he'll have."

"Um, excuse me, I'm not a witch. I'm a mad scientist," Zevon cut in with a huff.

Freddie rolled her eyes. "I'm all for making enemies and getting back at people but I'm not stupid. I know the importance of picking your fights and enemies."

Zevon pouted and flopped down onto the chair again, looking unhappy at the talks of not getting revenge. Despite his resentment towards The Ghouls though, he knew Freddie was making a perfectly reasonable argument. This wasn't just some run of the mills' villain they were dealing with, it was divinity. They had to be careful and not rush head first into this.

"What if... they don't come back though?"

Freddie and Evie looked at Zevon, both startled that he had said the words no one had dared say. It was something a lot of the VKs had began to treacherously ponder over the last few weeks. Why was it taking so long for Mal and the others to free them? Why was there no updates to their progress? What if they had decided to switch sides and stay in Auradon? No one had completely committed to the thoughts, brushing them off as ridiculous. Yet still, the nagging doubts lingered, each day strengthening them.

"Don't be silly," Evie said with a wave of her hand. "Of course, they'll be back. They'll bring down the barrier and we'll all be free."

"Sure," Freddie said unconvincingly.

Evie's loyalty to her friends made her want to snap at Freddie and Zevon for doubting them. But she could understand their concerns. It wasn't just that they were restless, eager to get off the Isle, it was their own safety they were concerned about. There would be dire consequences should Mal, Jay and Carlos turn their backs on evil, consquences that all the VKs remaining on the Isle would suffer in their stead. After all, they would be members of the same faction which had been home to the traitors. No one would trust them anymore. They could be viewed as traitors in the making, goodies waiting for the chance to abandon evil too.

"So what's the plan?" Zevon asked with a sigh, sagging in the chair.

"Freddie's right. We need to be careful about who we clash swords with," Evie sighed. "But we also have to protect our turf. Most of the VKs rely on it to survive."

Besides protection and prominence, one of the main reasons children on the Isle tried to acquire territory, was for resources. If someone was a member of a faction then they were able to steal from different shops in that group's territory, giving them goods for their parent's shops or for themselves. Until the barrier was brought down, this was the only way many of the villains kept afloat. If the Ghouls were able to steal the VK territory then there were many VKs who would struggle to keep bread on their tables. It was about more than pride, it was about survival.

"And we don't know how long it'll be until Mal, Jay and Carlos are able to free us," Evie admitted. "To pull off something of that scale - bringing down the barrier - that'll take time and patience. They need to get it right the first time, otherwise, they'll end up right back here and no one will ever get given the chance to leave here again."

"Which means we're going to have to retaliate, huh?" Freddie winced.

Freddie relied heavily on the VK territory in order to stock her father's shop - her unrewarding task. Even though she was extremely wary of irking a demigod, she also had to survive. Without her father's shop, they would not be able to afford any food and would have to resort to stealing everything - which was not always easy.

"Afraid so. I'm going to go to Margaret Gesner's Library tomorrow, see if there's anything I can find out about demigods. Maybe there's some kind of protection spells against them?" Evie told them. It wasn't much of a plan but it was a start.

"What good will protection spells do us if magic doesn't work?" Zevon asked.

"Not for now, for when the barrier gets brought down and we have access to our magic," Freddie explained. "I can ask my dad if his spirits have ever told him anything about demigods or had any dealings with them."

"I'll ask my mum too then. She was an advisor to the Emperor after all, and for a time an Empress herself," Zevon added helpfully.

"Awesome," Evie said with a smile. "Right, let's get this place cleaned up. Preferably before Maleficent gets home, sees the mess and kills us for it."

The VKs frantically got to work.

* * *

Evie thought her idea to go to the library to learn more about demigods had been a good idea. Apparently, someone else had thought so too and had beaten her to the punchline. Every book about demigods, that was catalogued as being owned by the library, was missing and reported as stolen. Other books that mentioned demigods had torn out pages and scratched out sections, leaving nothing useful about them behind.

It was looking like another one of her plans had been thwarted. Evie wondered if this had been Hayden's doing or if perhaps another demigod had taken the liberty of destroying any information that could be used against their kind.

Evie flopped her head on the desk, wincing when she heard the librarian hush her. Evie glanced up, looking at the monstrous librarian. Margaret Gesner was an unusual creature and somewhat resembled a grey octopus. She wore a smart, black dress and a pair of glasses that she always held in her hands. Behind the receptionist desk, she looked small and harmless, but it was when she rose up to deal with noisy readers that her true terrifying nature was revealed. At her full height, she could barely fit in the library.

Evie mouthed her a soft sorry - something that she normally would never do as it was a taboo word on the Isle - and this seemed to appease the elderly women, even if she still gave Evie a red-eyed glare. Margaret was from a world where manners were expected, and she was well known for tossing out anyone who didn't show her the proper respect.

Evie swallowed and very cautiously, lay her head back down on the desk. All around her laid piles of books, mainly focusing on Greek Gods and legends. Sadly, she had yet to find a book called  _'how to slay a demigod 101'._

"Whatcha reading?"

Evie jumped up and slammed the book shut, her fingers spread over the book's title in an attempt to hide it. With a glare set firmly on her face, Evie glanced up to find Hayden sitting on the table, staring down at her with a sly smile on his face. His amber eyes shone at her through wisps of blue hair, glistening with amusement.

"I didn't realise you were into Greek mythology," Hayden replied casually, lifting up the book ' _Greek Myths & Legends._' "What inspired that interest?"

"It's for a class project," Evie replied quietly, snatching the book from his hand. "Trust me, if I had a choice I wouldn't be looking this stuff up."

"Oh really?" Hayden asked, crossing his arms. "What class gave you a project on Greek Gods and demigods? Concidentially, when you're at war with one?"

"Are we at war? I hadn't noticed." Evie began gathering her books. "What are you doing here anyway? Do they not have a library in The Undercity?"

"We do and it's much better than this sorry excuse for a library. But why would I go there when you're here?" Hayden asked softly, a gentle smile on his face.

Evie let out a harsh laugh and rose to her feet. She placed her hands firmly on the desk and leaned over it, bringing her face close to Hayden's. She did not miss the way Hayden's eyes flickered to her lips for a heartbeat. "Listen here, Romeo. Save your games for someone who cares."

Evie flipped her hair, purposely so that it would flick Hayden in the face. She grabbed her books and strutted away, wanting to put as much distance between her and Hayden as she could. Hayden didn't seem to approve of this idea and chased after her, gently taking her wrist to pull her around to face him.

"You know, I could always help you with your... class project. I'm quite knowledgeable on the subject."

"That's a kind offer but that would mean spending time with you and no top grade is worth that," Evie replied, pulling her wrist free from his grasp.

Rather than taking offence at her insult, Hayden's eyes lit up gleefully, enjoying the banter.

"Well, if you ever change your mind."

"Not likely," Evie replied sweetly.

A dark shadow fell over the pair. Evie and Hayden slowly turned around to see what was blocking the light, their eyes widening in fear when they found the beastly librarian looming over them, her tentacles lashing out around her. Ever so creepily, the librarian leaned forward, glaring at them through red eyes. She looked at them in utter disdain, like they were pesky little insects in her home.

"I said," the monster whispered darkly, her voice seething with rage. "Be.  _Quiet_!"

Slimy tentacles whipped around Hayden and Evie's waist and before they could utter an apology the librarian had launched them into the air, out the open ceiling window and sent them spiralling straight towards the pond outside.

The librarian didn't care if you were a witch, King, Queen or God. No one was allowed to speak in the library.  _Ever_.

* * *

"Oh. My. God!" Evie shrieked as she surfaced the pond's waters, having to stand on the tips of her toes to reach the bottom.

The water was a shock to her system as it was unbearably cold. Evie's disbelieving eyes scanned the murky waters, cringing at the sludge and muck surrounding her. The pond was icky and disgusting and she was in it! Why, of all the librarians in the world, did they have to get stuck with the giant, hypersensitive to sound, monster one?

Hayden spluttered to the surface beside her, but unlike her, he found the whole thing amusing. He laughed, shoving aside his soaked bangs from his face. Evie glared at the boy, contemplating whether or not she could get away with drowning him here and ending this silly business once and for all. Ever since she had met him all she had experienced was problem after problem.

With a snarl, Evie splashed him with water before stomping her way out the pond. She refused to think about what a state she must look like! Her hair would be dangling limply in a wet, tangled mess, her makeup would be running down her face and her clothes would be crumpled and covered in all manners of grossness. If her mother caught her looking like this she would string her up from the nearest tree!

"I know what you're thinking and no, that was not my fault," Hayden called out after her as he exited the pond.

Evie spun around and stomped her foot. "Yes, it was, Hayden!"

Hayden shook his head then ran his hands down his arms, a light steam radiating from them. It took Evie a moment to realise he was using his insane body temperature to dry his clothes. With a hand ran through his hair, his hair became dry too.

"Show off," Evie mumbled, earning her a smirk from Hayden.

Hayden pulled off his jacket and before Evie could protest he had it wrapped around her. Evie was caught off guard by the gesture and could only stare dumbly at him as he secured it around her. His jacket was still very warm from having been in contact with him.

"To keep you warm," Hayden said with a wink.

Hayden trailed his hands down Evie's arms then took her hands in his gloved ones. He rubbed her hands together in his, warming them up. It reminded her of what her mother used to do for her on cold, winter mornings when they went shopping.

"You're hands are so cold."

"You know what they, cold hands warm heart," Evie replied, struggling to find her voice.

"My hands are always warm, so what does that say about my heart?" Hayden asked with an impish grin.

He had set himself up for a perfect, verbal hit but Evie couldn't find the spite inside her to take the open shot. His chivalrous act had thrown her off. Suspiciously, she narrowed her eyes, unsure what game he was playing.

"Stop it," Evie whispered.

"Stop what?" Hayden asked, his face scrunching up in confusion.

"This game, whatever clever little game you think you're playing."

Being flirty was one thing - something she was well known for doing - but what Hayden was doing was going beyond that. Helping her and her friends get out the tunnels, saving her from being crushed by the cave-in, keeping her warm in his embrace when she was cold and now giving her his jacket? They were enemies. He should not be doing things like that. Evie could see what would happen if it continued. A little kindness here, some sweetness there and add a charming and handsome face into the mix and there you had one dangerous brew. She refused to let him enchant her.

"I'm not playing a game, not like what you're suggesting," Hayden retorted, sounding appalled at the idea. "Truthfully, I think if you give us a chance, you and I could be good friends."

"Good friends?" Evie scoffed then laughed darkly, her eyes hardening. "Oh, I'm sure. I mean, it's not like you and your Ghouls invaded the VKs territory, trashed our base, feathered one of our members, and threatened to kill me and two of my friends!"

Did he think she would forget all the sins he had committed against her and the VKs? It didn't matter what tiny crumbs of decency and sweetness he gave her, she wouldn't let him fool her. Hayden may be handsome, charming and considerate, but she refused to see them as genuine. They were nothing but weapons to win the battle. She would not let him steal her heart, because that had to be the game he was playing.

"I never threatened to kill you."

"You did! In the cave!"

"I wasn't going to kill you-"

"Even if you were going to spare me you were still going to hurt my friends!" Evie growled. "I'm done playing games with you. You wanted a war and I said I'd give you want. I think its about time I followed up with that promise."

Her words were an empty threat, at least until she figured out how to deal with Hayden should he get his powers back. She didn't know how powerful a demigod was, nor did she know exactly what powers Hayden would have, but she couldn't take any chances. She had to find out everything she could about Hayden and what he was capable of before could launch a counter attack.

Thanks to someone's sabotage, her library couldn't help her. But there was still one other library she could check - The Undercity's library. There was a chance that all the demigod information had been destroyed there too, but Evie was banking on the demigods having neglected to do so. All the demigods seemed to favour living down there (she had never come across any up top) and no one from above ever travelled down there. They might have decided it was pointless to dispose of the information, thinking it safe. It was risky but it was her only shot. Not one of the VKs parents had any helpful information on demigods, other than  _don't_  mess with them.

Which, although wise advice, was advice she regretful was going to ignore.

* * *

The main issue with searching in The Undercity Library was getting to it. Her last attempt at navigating the tunnels had ended in disaster, and this time she might not get lucky (or unlucky, depending on how you looked at it) and bump into some willing to escort her out. The only reason Hayden had done so the last time was so he could hold a favour over her head - something that constantly weighed on the back of her mind, dreading when he would call it in. After thinking over it a few days Evie had devised a plan. She just needed a little help from her fellow VKs.

Evie brought Freddie and Zevon to The Curl Up And Dye, so they could discuss her plan and work out the details. It was also an excuse for her to get her hair done as the pond water had done a terrible number on it. Dizzy happily hummed away to herself as she set to work on Evie's hair. Beside them, Freddie lounged on a chair, spinning around it to amuse herself. Zevon was sitting by a table across the room, tinkering away with some gadgets.

"I would have thought you'd have learned your lesson the first time you failed to get to The Undercity," Zevon muttered, shaking his head. "Now you want to go back? We nearly died! Twice!"

"I can't let Hayden get away with crossing us!" Evie said in exasperation. "It won't be long now before he starts stealing our territory and then what will we do? We'll have nowhere to go. The VKs who rely on the territory for their stock will be out of goods and food. We need to do something!"

"I agree but I'm still not keen on messing with a demigod. We don't know anything about him," Freddie added, crossing her arms. "Our parents didn't know anything and you couldn't find anything useful at the library."

"That's why I need to check The Undercity Library, to see if there's any information there. It's our last shot."

"Bad idea, Evie," Zevon said, and Freddie nodded her head in agreement. "How do you plan on getting there? Your intel proved faulty last time and nearly lead us to a three-headed, dragon monster!"

"I have an idea," Evie said, wincing when Dizzy pulled on her hair a little too much.

"Which I'm assuming has something to do with this tracking device you're getting me to fix right now?" Zevon guessed.

"I thought you were a chemist, not an engineer?" Freddie asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"I am but I know a little about engineering. A mad scientist has to be able to build their own machines, my mother always said. Otherwise, people are quick to guess what you're up," Zevon explained with a shrug. "I've got your tracking devices working, anyway. Where did you get these?"

"Carlos made them," Evie answered. "It was so I could keep track of my pet parrot, Othello. Never actually got to use them as he escaped before they were finished."

"Can't say I blame him for escaping," Freddie mumbled.

Evie swatted Freddie's arm playfully and both girls started giggling.

"Who are you going to attach the device to? One of the Ghouls or Hayden?" Zevon asked.

"I don't think you'd be able to get close enough to them to do that," Freddie said. "And without getting noticed."

"Oh, I don't know about that," Zevon muttered. "Hayden seemed more than happy to get up close and personal with Evie. Getting a tracker on him would be the easiest part."

Freddie gave Evie a questioning look. "Oh, really?"

"It's a game, Zevon," Evie said with a scowl. "He's just messing with me.  _Trying_ to anyway."

Zevon scoffed, unconvinced.

"But no, I'm not putting it on any of them," Evie admitted. She paused for a moment, biting her lip as she braced herself for the reaction to her next words. This was the part of the plan she was most unsure of and she knew Zevon was not going to like it one bit. "I'm putting it on Cerberus."

Zevon's tools clattered to the floor. He looked at Evie in alarm, his mouth agape and eyes wide. "You have gotta be kidding me? You're going to stick a tracking device on Cerberus? That thing nearly bit my head off! And just how are you going to do that? Wait until Hayden's taking her out for a walk and say 'excuse me, do you mind if I stick a tracker on your hellhound?'"

"Not quite," Evie replied. "I may not have found anything useful on demigods, but I did find out an interesting tidbit about Cerberus. Music is his weakness. If you play the right tune on the right instrument it can put her to sleep or lure her to us. And I have the right tunes. I just need a lyre."

Evie bent over to the vanity table in front of her and picked up a dusty, battered, old tome and waved it in the air. She had discovered the book by accident while in the library, and luckily for her, it had been one of the books she had been carrying before being prematurely ejected from the library. It was a scholarly text on Greek mythological creatures, and although it too had had all demigod related knowledge ripped out, there had been in-depth details on Cerberus, including the music used to control her.

"Freddie, do you think you could get me a hold of one of those?"

"I should have one kicking about in my dad's stock room," Freddie nodded. "Though I have to ask, do you even know how to play the lyre?"

"She won't need to," Dizzy finally spoke up, finishing the last curl on Evie's head. She placed the curling irons' down, running her fingers through Evie's hair to separate the curls. "I know how to play it."

"Seriously?" Evie asked, perking up.

Dizzy nodded her head. "My grandmother insisted. She thinks ladies should be accomplished in the musical arts. She forces me, my mother, and my aunt, to practice  _every_   _single_  day. I can play all kinds of instruments. Piano, violin, lyre - take your pick."

"When will we put the plan in action?" Zevon asked.

"Tomorrow morning," Evie said. "We can't waste any time."


	5. The Undercity

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for any mistakes, my spellchecker is acting weird :/

The next day, Evie, Freddie, Zevon and Dizzy found themselves perched on the branches of a tree, near the entrance to The Undercity. Zevon and Dizzy had gone all out, dressing in camouflage gear and green face paint. Dizzy was playing the lyre and everyone waited with bated breath for Cerberus to appear at The Gates of Tarturus.

"Just to be clear, if you do die down there who becomes the next leader?" Zevon asked in a hushed whisper.

Freddie lowered her binoculars and smacked Zevon on the shoulder, causing him to yelp and rub his sore arm. The girl packed a mean punch. Zevon scowled at her, muttering that he was only asking.

"Don't think you're getting rid of me this easy, Zevon," Evie said with an amused smile. "And while I'm gone Freddie's in charge. Remember, if I'm not back by three o'clock, you have to lure Cerberus back to you."

In order to find her way back out of The Undercity, Evie had brought brightly coloured chalk that she would use to mark the walls. If anything complicated that and she wasn't back by three o'clock, the others would lure Cerberus back up top and she could track the dog's escape route and make it back to the surface. As a precaution, she had also brought smoke and sleep bombs - which she had made sure to pack herself.

They waited for a long time and just when they were about to give up, Cerberus finally appeared. Zevon, Frankie and Dizzy gulped when they saw six red eyes peeing out from the blackness of the entrance. When Cerberus raced down the stairs, daylight revealing her to being an adorable puppy, Dizzy and Frankie's worried expressions moped into bewilderment.

"That's Cerberus?" Freddie scoffed in disbelief. "Zevon, you made her out to be some giant, grizzly monster!"

"Looks can be deceiving," Zevon muttered, scowling at the creature like it was his archnemesis.

"She's so cute!" Dizzy gasped.

"She is not cute! She's a demon!" Zevon snapped. "Now hurry up and play the sleeping song before she finds us up here and gobbles us up!"

Dizzy complied and began playing the second tune, reading the notes from the book which Evie held open for her. This tune was dark and drawling, like an eerie lullaby for a twilight night. Instantly, Cerberus's movements became sluggish, her eyes drooping shut, ears bending down and tail ceasing its wagging. The puppy slouched to the ground, all four legs sprawling out under it.

It was only when they heard the soft snores that Evie swung herself down from the branches and crept over to the sleeping guardian, doing her best to resist the urge to pet her. Even with three-heads, glowing red eyes and a fearsome reputation, Cerberus was too cute for her own good. Evie clipped the tracking device - a small orb with a clip - onto the collar around the middle head. She then hurried up the staircase to the entrance of the tunnels and hid behind one of the pillars.

She signalled for Dizzy to stop playing.

When the pup awoke she looked dazzled, staring around confused, with its ears bend downwards. Eventually, she shook her heads and headed back into the tunnels.

Evie followed, tracking pad in hand.

* * *

Hayden was right, there was something pretty about The Undercity. In a ghoulish sort of way.

The city was hidden away in an enormous cavern and bathed in an eternal, blue light created by thousands of glowworms on the ceiling. From all the way down here, they almost looked like stars. The cities structures were all made of stone, some buildings even carved into the cavern walls. There was a clash of aesthetic in some of the architecture of the buildings. Some borrowed inspiration from medical castles, with turrets, towers and massive oak doors, while others were designed after Ancient Greece dwellings, with pillars and intricate designs etched into the stones, depicting all manners of historical events - mainly the demise of villains. The pavements and roads were all cobblestoned and instead of street lights, they had strings of lanterns crisscrossing over the streets.

Evie stared at the city in awe and took a step towards the rickety, rope bridge that stretched across a massive trench, separating the city from the entrance of the labyrinth of tunnels. There was a small, wooden sign in front of the bridge that read  _'The Ferryman Bridge'._ Evie figured The Undercity had probably been built in this location primarily because of the trench, as it acted as a natural moat to keep the monsters at bay should they find the city. The flimsy bridge meant that only human-sized beings could cross.

Evie clutched the rope railings and began to ease her way across. Down below her, a good few hundred feet, she was stunned to see an eerie, glowing river flowing through the trench - it was fed by a sparkling waterfall at the other end of the cavern. Evie was too high up to make it out, but there looked to be hundreds of shadows swiftly gliding through the waters. Fish, perhaps?

Once on the other side, Evie made her way through the city.

The people down here were strange, something about them prickling at her senses. They all favoured darker colours, barely a splash of brightness anywhere to be found. They also looked very... grey.

Up top was a whirlwind of colours, everyone claiming a different one as their own. Yet here, very few people stood out among the bleakness. Evie quickly found herself feeling like she stood out for all the wrong reasons, and even with her head held down and minding her own business, she felt like everyone's eyes were on her, silently judging her. It was like they knew she wasn't from here, that she was an intruder in their mist.

What Evie couldn't see was that to everyone down in The Undercity, who were so used to darkness and gloom, Evie, with her sweet features, royal blue outfit and shining eyes, appeared too bright, too full of life for down here. Like a ray of sunshine that had impossibly reached the bottom of the darkest pits of Earth. To them, she was like a blooming bluebell that had sprung up in a withered garden of grey and dull flowers. She was not made for this place where sunlight could not touch her.

It took her a while but eventually, Evie found the library. It was hidden away inside an intimidating, converted mausoleum with grey walls and intricate pillars. Nailed to the giant gate in front of the building was a gleaming, silver plaque that read:

_On your quest for answers, the spirits shall assist._

_Knowledge is a power that only fools resist._

Evie pushed open the creaky, rusted iron gate and crept inside.

The inside of the library was much bigger than it looked on the outside. Books lined the walls all the way to the ceiling, and in the center of the circular room were dozens upon dozens of bookcases filled with more tomes, all looking a little dusty and weathered with age. Some of the shelves were adorned with various artefacts and skulls, cobwebs and creepy crawlies clinging to the corners.

Begrudgingly, Evie would admit that this library had more books but at least the library up top was somewhat inviting. Who builds a library inside a mausoleum? There were stone coffins dotted about the room, some even built into the walls between the books! One near the entrance read  _'Here lyes ye body of William Butchersonye, 1st of May 1693, Lost Soul'._  Etched upon the stone panel was also a depiction of a frightful woman's face.

Evie was a witch, and although her mother had once pried hearts from the corpses of her enemies, even Evie found studying among the dead a little too morbid.

Evie glanced around, looking for the librarian. Hopefully, whoever it was was not as scary as the one up top. As it turned out, the librarian here was nothing like her normal librarian, but he was no less terrifying.

The librarian was a ghoulish skeleton dripping with green goo. Soulless black sockets stared at Evie as she slowly approached it, feeling unnerved at the gruesome sight. As she drew closer, she noticed it was wearing tattered and battered armour parts.

 _I wonder if that's one of the Horned King's cauldron reborn?_  Evie pondered, remembering the tales her mother had told her of the infamous and forgotten King.

"Um. Hi there," Evie said, smiling nervously.

The skeleton stared at her blankly. Apparently, it wasn't much of a talker, though that may be due to its lack of voice box rather than its personality. Evie bit her lip, feeling very uncomfortable under its unblinking stare.

"Don't suppose you could point me in the direction of your Greek mythology section?"

For a moment the skeleton remained eerily quiet and unmoving before finally, it craned an arm up to point to one of the aisles.

"Thanks," Evie said cheerfully, feeling anything but.

She scurried down the aisle, thankful to get away from the skeleton, and began looking for any books that could prove useful in giving her more information about demigods.

It took her far longer than she would have liked to get through all the material on Greek mythology. Weird noises like dying wails and the occasional banging or rattling of chains kept distracting her and at the corner of her eyes, she kept seeing things move. It didn't take her long to come to the conclusion that the library was haunted.

Evie tried her best to ignore the strange anomalies, but nothing she did to calm herself could ease the tenseness in her shoulders, the fear knotted in her stomach or the way she jumped at the slightest sound.

After hours of searching - all the while being rife with paranoia - she was devasted to discover that the same thing had happened down here as it had up top. All the demigod information had been erased. There was nothing.

Evie slid down one of the bookcases and came to a rest on the floor with her legs outstretched and head held between her hands. Once again, she had been out-manoeuvred. She was never going to find out the information that she neede now! None of the adults knew anything helpful and the library's sources had all been tampered with.

Now she was truly in between a rock and a hard place. If she took on Hayden then she would have no way of knowing what she was dealing with when the barrier broke and it could very well spell the demise for her and the VKs. They could finally be free only to end up at the mercy of a powerful demigod. But if she didn't take action against Hayden then the VKs she was charged with leading and protecting would suffer. They may lose their turf and have no source of income which means they would struggle immensely to survive until the barrier was brought down - and since she wasn't being kept in the loop, Evie had no idea how long that would be.

Evie sighed, wishing that fate could be a little kinder to her. If Mal were here she would know what to do. She would have probably had this whole situation dealt with and had Hayden suited up with a lovely pair of cement boots and chucked into the ocean.

Something to her left caught Evie's attention, drawing her from her pity party. She was unnerved to see several books gliding through the air from one shelf to another. Evie's jaw dropped open and she let out a startled gasp.

 _That's enough spookiness for me_ , Evie thought with a shiver.

Just as she was about to push herself to her feet and get as far away from this dismal place as she could, something hard fell on top of her head with a loud thwack. Evie yelped and rubbed the now tender spot at the back of her head. There would definitely be a bruise there in the morning. With a bitter scowl, she glanced down to see what had hit her. She wasn't surprised to see that it was a book. It was magnificently decorated, though it looked ancient and decrepit, it's pages yellowed and tarnished. The title read  _'Spells of Astoroth.'_

Evie picked it up and rose to her feet, looking for the space where it fell from. She frowned when she found no blank space on the shelves to slot it into. Where had it come from then? With a shrug, she placed it randomly on a shelf. Evie turned around, intending to clean away the books on the desk that she had been using. What she saw caused her heart to constrict sharply and her eyes to widen. There was the book,  _'Spells of Astoroth',_ sitting on the table, waiting for her.

"That's... a little weird," Evie mumbled.

Her fingers skinned the cover. Upon contact, it flipped open and the pages flickered wildly. It landed on a page near the middle. Cautiously, Evie leaned over to read it. The pages were intricate, one side having beautiful, black, cursive writing and the other containing detailed drawings relating to the writings.

Evie trailed her hands over the words as she read the page, a sly smile forming on her ruby lips. It was a spell, a potentially useful spell that could give her all the answers she sought. Under normal circumstances, spells would have been useless to her, the barrier preventing her from accessing her magic. But if what the details about the spell at the bottom of the page said were true, then it was possible, she would be able to use it. There was a loophole to the barrier's no magic policy.

Evie wasn't sure what mischief was going on or what trouble stirring phantom was aiding her, but she wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth. She pulled out a small notebook and pen from her satchel and began scribbling down the spell and its details. Once she was finished she glanced up from her notes back to the book, only to find it had vanished.

Evie held up her notes.

It was a spell to summon The Fates.

* * *

With the spell tucked safely away in her pocket, Evie decided to make a bee-line out of the library and The Undercity. This underground world was too grim and grey for her likings. Evie thanked whatever spirits had helped her and swiftly made her way to the exit.

She navigated her way through the lantern-lit streets. The city was much busier in the afternoon than it had been in the morning, and Evie found herself having to squeeze her way through the crowds on the narrower streets, occasionally having someone bump into her. With more people out and about, Evie discovered an answer to a question she had never thought about before; where do all the undead villains of the world live on The Isle? Fittingly, it seemed all those villains - zombies, skeletons, ghosts and vampires - had chosen to live underground. It took Evie a great deal of willpower not to gawk or flinch at seeing skeletons walking among the crowds of people or the odd ghost gliding across the rooftops.

"Come back here, ye mangy mutt!" a gruff, masculine voice hollered.

Evie looked down the street to see a man dressed in chef whites running out of The Butchers Shop, waving a fist in the air. Further down the road, Evie saw the tail end of Cerberus dashing down the streets, each of her three heads clutching a string of linked sausages between their teeth. The dog looked utterly gleeful, its ears perked and tail wagging excitedly.

"I wonder where you're running off to?" Evie mused.

Curiously, she followed after the dog. When Evie lost sight of the puppy she pulled out her tracker and the little red blip lead her to the other end of the city. She found herself in the ruins of a temple, and so wondrous was the sight, that she forgot all about tracking Cerberus.

All around her where fragments of pillars and broken, marble monuments of powerful villains - though they were from stories long before Evie's time and their dilapidated state made it impossible to identify who they were. What was most striking about this place was the plants. Everywhere Evie looked there were clusters of different kinds of flowers, some growing on vines that twisted up and around the various ruins. They made up every colour of the rainbow and were all in full bloom, leaving a sweet smell in the air. They were such a shock of colour in this dark city that it gave the place an otherworldly feeling, like something out of a fantasy.

It was like a secret garden, hidden on the outskirts of the city.

How anything could grow all the way down here without sunlight was beyond Evie. Even up top, she had never seen such beautiful greenery and flowers. Everything was wilted and shrivelled. Someone with expert knowledge in gardening had to be taking diligent care of these plants, nothing like these could be grown naturally - not in the hostile landscapes that The Isle had to offer.

Evie was so lost in admiring all the beautiful blossoms that she almost didn't see the patch of black at the bottom of a small incline. It was Hayden, his dark clothes standing out starkly among the vibrant colours of the flowery meadow. Evie flung herself behind a large pillar, pressing herself up against it to stay out of sight.

Hayden was lying on the grass among the flowers, one hand behind his head while the other rested on his stomach, a white flower held loosely between his fingers. His eyes were closed and partially hidden behind his fringe of blue hair, his shallow breath musing it. Evie hated to admit it, but sound asleep Hayden looked as handsome as he did peaceful. She could imagine that wherever the boy went he left a trail of broken hearts behind him and it was easy to see why. He was attractive with a cold sort of beauty, and he was charming, charismatic, and chivalrous - to a degree.

In another life, Evie could see herself falling for him, smitten by his smile and sweet words. But not in this world. Here she knew what he was. Even a tiger looked peaceful in its slumber but the moment it awoke it would still lash out ferociously. Hayden's charms were nothing but the poisonous baits of a serpent.

"Who's there?" Hayden's voice called out, almost like a song.

Evie went rigid and held her breath, placing a hand over her mouth to quiet her breathing. Hayden languidly rose to his feet, looking around the garden for the intruder he had sensed. Evie peeked out from behind her pillar, hoping he had headed off in the opposite direction, giving her a chance to escape. There was no such luck, he seemed to be walking towards her!

Getting found by Hayden in The Undercity was the last thing Evie needed right now. Despite the nonchalant movements that made him seem at ease and calm, the look in his eyes told another story. They were narrowed and glowing brighter than Evie had ever seen, a dangerous glint shining within them. He radiated danger and Evie knew she did not want to be on the receiving end of that anger.

Just as he was about to reach her something tackled him to the ground, sending dozens of petals fluttering into the air.

"Cerberus!" Hayden yelled, letting out a joyous laugh.

The dog had him pinned and all three heads were attacking him with slobbery kisses and affectionate nuzzling. Hayden was grinning, trying futilely to bat the puppy away from him. Eventually, he managed to get up to his knees and he caught the middle head of the dog between his hands, bringing it to rest against his.

"Where have you been, girl? Huh?" Hayden asked. "It's not like you to run off."

Cerberus barked several times as though it were trying to share a story. Hayden shook his head and sighed. "I have no idea what you said. Come on, girl. It's almost time for dinner and we wouldn't want to keep dad waiting, you know what his temper's like."

Cerberus nodded her heads in agreement before following Hayden further down the slope and out of sight. Evie breathed a sigh of relief and slipped out from behind the pillar, quickly making her way back the way she had come.

That had been far too close for comfort.

* * *

Eventually, Evie found her way back to the Ferryman Bridge. Travelling through the dark tunnels wasn't something she was looking forward to doing, but she didn't have a choice. At least with the spell, the trip hadn't been a complete waste of time.

Once she was across the swaying bridge, Evie headed towards the gaping hole in the wall that would lead her back to the labyrinth of tunnels. She had barely made it a few steps away from the bridge when a voice stopped her in her tracks.

"Lose something, Evie?"

Hayden was sitting on a large boulder by the trench edge, arms resting over his knees. He was tossing something small into the air, and it was with a jolt that Evie realised it was the tracker she had placed on Cerberus.

_Busted._

"Hayden," Evie breathed.

He wasn't smiling, not this time, his expression was infuriatingly blank.

"I warned you not to come down here," Hayden said, his voice low, threatening.

"And I warned you not to mess with the VKs. I guess neither of us is good at listening."

"I've told you before how dangerous it is down here, you've even seen it for yourself, and yet you still think it was a bright idea to come down here? Alone, at that." Hayden spoke quietly, eyes narrowed and glinting with fury. "I thought you were smarter than this."

Evie bristled, infuriated by his attitude. She sneered at him with an unpleasant smile and spread her arms out wide, gesturing around them. "And yet, I managed to get down here all my own."

Hayden gave her three slow, sarcastic claps.

"And how do you plan to get out?"

"That's none of your concern now, is it?"

"Wouldn't have anything to do with chalk, would it?" Hayden asked dryly.

He reached into his pocket, took something out and then threw it at Evie's feet. The pink chalk shattered against the ground. Evie's hand instinctively went to her pocket to pat it down and she was shocked to feel that her chalk was not there. When had he managed to get it?

"Chalk can be easily erased with a little water and the marks replaced. It would be a shame if someone... messed with them. "

Evie swallowed, taking an unconscious step back. It was becoming very clear to her that she had underestimated Hayden.

"You've changed my marks?"

"Maybe."

"This isn't funny, Hayden," Evie shouted, her voice pitching with anger and panic.

Hayden laughed darkly. "No, no it isn't funny. You risked your life and for what? What have you accomplished by coming here? Even if you found my base what then? To do anything you'd have to bring your team here, endangering their lives and your own in the process. Something I'm pretty sure you don't want to do."

"Oh, for crying out loud!" Evie snarled, fed up with this contrary creature before her. "Stop pretending that you care about the VKs!"

Despite her anger, his words made her feel a sense of relief. He didn't know the real reason she had come down here, to find out his weakness. And despite finding the chalk Hayden hadn't found the notebook with the spell on it - a discreet touch assured her that it was still in her satchel.

"I don't," Hayden said with a shrug. He dropped down from the high boulder and headed towards her. Evie backed away until her back hit another a large rock behind her. Hayden placed a hand at the side of her head and leaned close, his voice quiet. "I don't care about anybody up top. But I do care about you."

"I'm not falling for your Prince Charming act. Save it for someone else."

"I'd hardly call myself Prince  _Charming,"_ Hayden rolled his eyes, irritated by the thought.  _"_ But it's not an act, Evie. Of that, I give you my word."

"Your word means nothing to me," Evie whispered venomously, eyes gleaming. "And I'm not going to stop. I'm the leader of the VKs, it's my job to protect my team and our turf. If you're so scared of me being hurt then back off and leave us be."

"Unfortunately, I can't. There are bigger things at play." Hayden said, and even sounded regretful that he couldn't comply to her demand.

Evie narrowed her eyes, not sure that she liked the sound of 'bigger things at play'. What did that mean? What exactly was Hayden planning? Whatever it was she didn't think it would be good for her or any of the other villain factions.

"Eventually, I'm going to take over all the territory up top, Evie. And no one, not even you and all your clever little schemes, will stop me. You know, I can't be beat."

"We'll see then, won't we?" Evie challenged.

Hayden sighed and shook his head, a grim smile on his face. "Tell me, Evie. Have you heard from Mal? How about Jay or Carlos?"

"That's none of your business," Evie replied sharply.

"I'll take that as a no. I heard you four were supposed to be as thick as thieves and yet they can't even send you any sign of how they're getting on? Do you want to know why?"Hayden lowered his voice to a whisper. "It's because they aren't coming back, Evie."

"Of course they are," Evie said hotly, fed up with people doubting her friends. "They wouldn't turn their backs on evil."

They wouldn't turn their backs on her.

"They will. And you know what will happen when they do? You and the rest of the VKs will become outcasts. You'll pay the price for your  _friend's_ betrayal. You won't be able to go anywhere on The Isle without meeting scorn and threats."

Evie thought back to Zevon's words, his concerns that the others had betrayed them. They also made her think of something else, a similar conversation, one she couldn't quite remember. She recalled someone else warning her that Mal, Jay and Carlos might abandon her, but for the life of her, she couldn't grasp the memory properly.

"You might believe I'm not being sincere about my affections for you, but I am. When it all goes down, you'll always have a place with me. If you choose it."

Evie felt her heart flutter and she wished she didn't have to stare into those amber eyes, so full of conviction and something else she couldn't name. He was a wonderful actor, she would give him that. Hayden leaned down and tilted his head, his eyes searching hers. It was when his gaze flickered to her lips that Evie realised that he was thinking about kissing her.

"I won't turn my back on you, Evie. Ever. Let me prove it to you." He spoke so softly that Evie couldn't tell if she had heard him mummer please at the end.

Just before Hayden kissed her Evie stopped them with two fingers placed gently upon his lips. Even his lips were warm and she had to ignore the tingly sensation it left on her fingertips. It reminded her of putting her fingers on a hot water bottle, getting warmer the longer she touched it to the point of burning. She couldn't help but wonder if it would burn her lips if she actually had let him kiss her.

Hayden pulled away, smiling softly despite the disappointment in his eyes.

"Not today, Romeo," Evie muttered.

She slipped out from under his arms and headed back towards the tunnel network. Hayden remained where he was, with one hand against the rock.

"I wasn't joking about the marks," Hayden called out. "They have been erased."

Evie frowned, resisting the urge to growl in frustration. She had hoped that he had been bluffing about that, considering all his talks of caring about her.

Hayden whistled and a moment later Cerberus came bounding across the bridge. Hayden knelt beside the puppy, scratching behind one of his ears. "Hey there, girl. I need you to do me a big favour and take our lovely Evie here back up top and make sure she gets home safely. Alright?"

Cerberus nodded all three of her heads, her tail wagging eagerly. She raced over to Evie, happily bouncing around her feet and looking up at her with her glowing red eyes, her pink tongue hanging from her mouth. Evie glanced over to Hayden, who was still kneeling on the ground, and reluctantly nodded to him - as close as a thank you as she could give. Before she turned to leave Hayden called out to her.

"I meant what I said, Evie. Think about it and be careful."

 _Be careful, Evie,_ the words in a dream whispered in her head.

Evie turned her back to him and followed the barking Cerberus towards the tunnel system. She did not look back at the demigod watching her, no doubt looking smug at his petty little victory over her. He had made it very clear that he was not to be underestimated and that, had he wanted to, he could have prevented her from leaving. He had ruined her marks and taken the tracker from Cerberus. She would have been stuck down here if not for his help. He was just lording his power over her.

Evie bit the inside her cheek, scowling bitterly.

She told herself that ultimately that this didn't matter. Let Hayden have his silly little victory. Everyone falls for their foes wits and traps, it was a begrudging truth her mother had taught her. With every loss she suffered she gained something from it, a lesson never to make the same mistake twice. Hayden may have won the battle, but she was not going to let him win the war.

Evie left The Undercity, and had she turned back to look at Hayden just before she left, instead of seeing a look of victory on his face, she would have seen pure longing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 'Spells of Astoroth' is a book from the movie Bedknocks and Broomsticks.
> 
> 'Here lyes ye body of William Butchersonye 1st of May 1693, Lost Soul' - is a reference to Hocus Pocus. It's the inscription on Billy the Zombie's gravestone.
> 
> "You know I can't be beat" is a line from Chris Villain's music video ' 'Descendants 3 unofficial First Look - Make it Hot (Chris Villain).'
> 
> I've not explained how Hayden found out Evie was in The Undercity and about her chalk plan because the chapter's been told from Evie's view and she doesn't know how he did it. But the explanation is one of the people who bumped into her when she was travelling through the narrow city streets was a Ghoul. They spotted her and pickpocketed the chalk and told Hayden.
> 
> How does everyone think Evie's plan to summon The Fates will work out?


	6. Fates and Unofficial Dates

The spell to summon The Fates would only work on an autumn night, forcing Evie to wait until September finally ended. During those two weeks, the faction dynamics on The Isle began to shift drastically, and not in the topsiders favour. Hayden and his Ghouls had managed to commandeer turf from two rival gangs, Ginny Gothel's and Hamlet Westergaard's.

It seemed Hayden was done messing around with them.

The VK's were beginning to get restless, and with rumours hinting that Hayden was gunning for Gaston the 3rd's territory which bordered with the VKs, they were becoming more insistent on action being taken. Knowing that Hayden was putting his master plan into action - whatever it may be - put Evie on edge and made her all the more anxious to perform the spell.

Finally, autumn arrived. It was a bitterly cold day, with rain pattering softly against the window and golden leaves dancing along the breeze, that Evie began her preparations for the spell.

She decided to carry out the spell in the tallest tower in her castle, in a room that her mother would never wander to. It was in the section of the castle that they avoided as it had fallen into disrepair - like much of their once glorious home. It was simply too big for two people to take care of without aid.

Evie cleaned up the room as best she could, ridding it of the cobwebs, dust and grime that had accumulated over years of neglect. She set up a table with four chairs, covering it with a freshly ironed tablecloth and decorating it with a slightly rusted, but heavily polished, golden candelabra. The day prior she had gone to the marketplace and picked up the freshest, ripest fruit that she could find as an offering, as well as some ingredients to make cakes, biscuits and tea. She was not convinced that her offerings were worthy of divinity, but it was the best that she could do with what she had. She hoped that there were points for effort.

"Here goes nothing," Evie muttered, lighting up the candles around the room.

Evie walked over to the table where her notebook laid open, her copy of the spell waiting to be read. According to the spell's details, Evie reasoned that she should be able to perform it, even with the barrier restricting her magic. By activating the spell the enchanter was provoking The Fates magic, not their own - this allowed anyone to call on them, whether they have magical abilities or not. The Fates were a neutral force (so was their magic) and the barrier only prevented evil's magic from working. The Fates neutral stance should allow them to get through the barrier - if they choose to answer her call.

Evie took in a deep breath and began chanting the spell.

_On this solemn autumn date,_

_I open up the_ _magic gates_

_And ask a favour of The Fates_

_To let me see what awaits._

_Lend thy powers to my possession_

_I seek thy wisdom and discretion_

_Let no man know of thy confession._

_I call upon The_ _Ancient_   _Fates._

For a few moments, nothing happened, and Evie felt herself deflate with every passing second. She began to doubt her theory, feeling silly for even having attempted it. But then the windows slammed open, a gust of wind bursting into the room and extinguishing all the candles. The room was plunged into darkness until someone clicked their fingers. Magically, the candles all flickered to life, their flames now a neon blue, casting ghostly, dark shadows around the room.

The Fates had arrived.

Evie blinked rapidly, trying to adjust her eyes to the new light. She found The Fates seated at her table, looking at her expectedly. For a moment, Evie was flabbergasted and silent, too struck with surprise that the spell had worked.

"Um, hi," Evie said lamely, tucking her hair behind her ear. Oh poison apples, how did one great something like The Fates? Did she curtsy? Shake their hands? Or would that be considered rude to touch them, perhaps even prohibited? They were divinity after all. "I'm-"

"Evie," Lachesis, the tallest of The Fates, said.

Evie knew who she was as the spellbook had drawings of each of The Fates and their names were written eloquently below them. She had studied it extensively the last two weeks, so there would be no awkward slip-ups. She didn't think mixing up The Fates names would win her any favours.

"Daughter of The Evil Queen," Clotho added.

"We know," the three Fates said in harmony.

"We know everything, as you know," Atropos - who currently had the only eye that the sisters shared - said with a wink.

Evie sank into the remaining seat at the roundtable, sitting between Atropos and Lachesis, with Clotho across from her. Admittedly, she was a little awed at their appearance. This was the first time she had any experience with real magic. It was enchanting and made her yearn to feel the fizzle of magic at her fingertips.

"And before you ask, yes, we'd like some of that tea you brewed for us," Atropos said with a grin.

Evie reached for the teapot and began pouring out the teas, giving each of The Fates the sugars, milk and cream that they asked for. She then lifted the lid on the dessert plate, revealing several biscuits and cupcakes that she had baked this morning. Clotho and Atropos gasped with delight and tucked in, while Lachesis stuck her nose up at them and drank her tea. After they had settled, Evie took in a deep breath and braved forward, ready to ask her questions.

"Thank you for answering my summons. I was looking for advice if you can give it. It's about-"

"Demigods. We know," The Fates cut in curtly.

"Like my sister said we know  _everything_ , including why those who seek us out do so," Clotho said. "We know that you're taking the precautionary path when dealing with Hayden."

"Smart girl," Atropos quipped.

"And want to know exactly what he's capable of if the barrier gets broken," Lachesis finished.

"Are you able to tell me anything?" Evie asked hesitantly.

Evie knew that they  _could_ but it was a matter of whether they  _would_. The Fates were powerful and blessed with a great deal of knowledge, and although they were neutral, perhaps they wouldn't want to do anything that could anger Gods and demigods? They may even be more reluctant to help her as they had close ties to the Underworld.

They each had important roles to play, roles that affected The Underworld - even if it wasn't their domain. Every person's life was represented by a string, a string which was controlled by these three women. Clotho created The Strings of Life, while Lachesis measured the length of the thread, dictating how long a person would live. Atropos's role was the most morbid of the three, for it was her job to cut the thread, ending the person's life with a pair of razor-sharp scissors.

"We can," Clotho said with a smile.

"And... we will," Atropos said.

"You're not worried that Hayden will be mad if he finds out?" Evie asked.

"Pfft," Lachesis snorted, "that brat thinks he's all that, thinks we don't know what he and his father say about us when our backs are turned. He needs to realise he isn't as powerful as he thinks he is."

"Well, not yet anyway," Atropos said off-handedly.

"You hesitate to retaliate against Hayden as you're worried about the consequences should the barrier fall. And fall it shall-" Lachesis slapped Clotho across the head for revealing too much, giving her a stern look before crossing her arms.

"How many times do I have to tell you! We're not supposed to reveal the future!" Lachesis snapped grumpily.

"I'm only telling her a little," Clotho smiled innocently, measuring out a small amount with her fingers.

Lachesis shook her head, unimpressed. Clotho smiled and turned back to Evie, taking a sip of her tea before continuing.

"However, Hayden is a demigod and until he proves himself worthy a demigod - powerless and mortal - he will stay."

"Hayden doesn't have any powers?" Evie gasped.

This entire time she had been so wary of making an enemy of him, and in reality, she had nothing to fear. He was harmless. Completely powerless. The news sent a swell of excitement through her, because now she could put an end to Hayden and his meddling. The VK's turf would be safe, none of them would be without the resources that they needed, and when the barrier was brought down they wouldn't have provoked the wrath of some all-powerful demigod.

"Not unless he earns him," Atropos cautioned.

Evie bit her lip, her excitement bubbling down.

Still, this was good news. If Hayden didn't earn his powers the VKs were safe. But then Evie remembered Hayden's enigmatic schemes and she would hazard a guess that his plans may be tied to that interesting, little fact. Maybe Hayden was plotting 'bigger things' in order to get his divinity. If he did, then they would be in trouble -  _If_. She would just have to make sure that didn't happen. Whatever evil plan he had she would thwart, no matter how contrary a villain stopping another villain's evil plot seemed. It was for her own benefit, as well as her teams.

"You want to foil Hayden's plans?" Atropos said, taking a long sip of her tea.

Evie glanced to the smallest Fate, momentarily startled that she had known what she was thinking. But then again, Atropos was The Fate of The Future, of course, she knew what Evie was planning.

"Don't suppose you could tell me what he's up to?" Evie said with a charming smile and a flutter of her long lashes.

Clotho smiled slyly and shook her head. Lachesis gave her a bland look. Atropos seemed amused but didn't answer.

"I thought not," Evie said with a sigh. It had been worth a shot. What was the saying? The Gods loved a trier?

Although it would have been immensely helpful to know Hayden's plans, Evie now knew what she needed. Hayden didn't have an advantage over them, they held it over him. She just had to make sure he never got the chance to become a God for if he did then they were in trouble. Once Mal and the others brought down the barrier that would be one of their first priorities, making sure Hayden remained locked away, where he could never become immortal.

Evie smiled to herself, pleased with the turn of events. She looked very much like the cat that had eaten the canary as she sipped her tea, an invisible weight that had been pushing her down now gone from her shoulders, letting her sit taller. Preventing Hayden from reaching divinity was a much easier task than taking on a wrathful God seeking vengeance.

"We didn't just come here to tell you that, my dear," Clotho said gently. Evie glanced at her, quirking an eyebrow. What else was there to say? "An...  _acquaintance_ of ours requested a favour. He wanted to know if you remember?"

"Remember what?" Evie frowned.

The Fates looked at each other and as one slowly rose from their chairs. Clotho approached her, a knowing smile on her lips. She took Evie's hand and with her other placed something within her grasp.

"Remember what you've forgotten. You dream of it so often."

"The answers may closer than you think," Atropos said.

"But here's a clue, just for you," Clotho said with a wink.

Another breeze whooshed through the room. Evie shielded her eyes with her free hand and when the wind ceased blowing, she found The Fates had vanished and the flames returned to their normal, auburn glow. Evie raised her hand.

Clotho had given her a white lily.

* * *

There may be no stars on The Isle but the town at night wasn't too bad of a substitute. Granted, Evie had no comparison having never seen a twilight sky, but she imagined it would be something like this. Hundreds of white lights shining in the darkness, stretching off for into the distance.

Evie sat atop one of the taller buildings in the center of town, her legs dangling off the edge. She liked to come here to think and get away from the castle and faction business. In her hand, she twirled the lily that The Fates had given her, their clue to the mystery that plagued her. It was just like the one she had been given at the night market. Just like the ones in her dream. Just like the one that Hayden had held in his hand in the Undercity garden.

After Hayden's declaration of affections for her, and seeing all those beautiful flowers down below, Evie knew that she could safely assume he was the mysterious flower gifter.

She wasn't quite sure what to do with that information. Especially now that she knew for certain that they played an important role in her dreams. And if The Fates had brought up her dreams then they truly had to mean something. She had so many pieces of a puzzle, but no picture of what she was trying to piece together. It was an irritable mystery, one she had never asked for and had never truly known was there.

Whatever the mystery was she knew deep down that its revelation would complex things with Hayden. Perhaps it would also explain his rather out of the blue affections for her? They had never interacted before she took over as the VK leader, yet with her, from the beginning, he was softer, not like how he was with Zevon, Dizzy or any of the other villain children that he interacted with. From what she had heard, when dealing with the other rival gangs he was wicked and harsh, never holding back. Why then, with her, was he different? He didn't know her so where had that softness come from?

Now that she knew Hayden wasn't a threat once the barrier was brought down - provided he didn't do anything that the heavens found noteworthy - she knew she couldn't put off retaliating any longer. The last few days she had been scheming away, setting the gears into motion. There were only a few things more that she had to do on her checklist.

"Hello, Evie."

Speaking off...

"What brings you up top, Hayden?" Evie asked lightly, not surprised that he had shown up. He did seem to have a habit of bumping into her in the oddest of places.

"Maybe I came to see you. It's been unbearably long since I last saw you," Hayden said as he sat down on the edge of the building, right beside her. "You look beautiful."

"What does this mean?" Evie asked, ignoring his comment. She didn't look at him as she showed him the lily. Hayden gently took it from her grasp and spun it between his fingers.

"Lilies mean devotion," Hayden explained, snapping the stem in half.

"They're also associated with death," Evie added. "You're the one who sent me the lily in the night market. Aren't you?"

The two things she couldn't figure out was why she dreamed of them or what The Fates had meant by giving her one and asking her did she remember. She didn't know what she had forgotten. But it was clear those answers lied with Hayden, everything seemed to point towards him.

Hayden reached over and ever so gently turned her head towards him with the tips of his fingers under her chin. He then tucked the flower's head behind her ear, letting his fingers lightly trail through her hair as he pulled away. His ungloved fingers tickled her with their warmth, but his touch was too brief to burn.

"I was," Hayden shrugged. "Pretty girls deserve pretty flowers."

Evie rolled her eyes and looked away from him, returning her gaze to the city lights. They sat in silence for a while and eventually Hayden lay down on his back, his legs still dangling over the edge of the building. Evie glanced at him, and after a while, copied his position.

"Why lilies?"

"They're lovely flowers, interesting meaning and you know, as you said they are associated with death. It seemed fitting."

"Is that the only reasons?"

Hayden turned his head to look at her, a curious look in his eyes. "Why do you ask?"

"Just curious," Evie replied innocently.

She wasn't quite sure how to play her cards yet. She knew her dreams meant something and that the key to what they meant Hayden held. But did she let him know she knew something was going on, even if she had no idea what it was?

"Where did you get it from? I've never seen flowers like this here."

Evie knew it most likely came from The Undercity garden that she had stumbled upon, but she didn't want Hayden to know that she had seen him there.

"No, you wouldn't have. All the plants here are pitiful," Hayden muttered, the bitterness in his voice surprising Evie. "I grew the lilies myself. "

"You grew it?" Evie asked.

"Why does that surprise you?" Hayden asked, tilting his head.

"You don't seem like the gardening type."

"To be fair, you hardly know me outside of being enemies." Hayden shrugged, a wistful look in his eyes. "My mother is the Goddess of Springtime and fertility and my grandmother is the Goddess of the harvest. They taught me everything I know about growing plants and flowers. It's difficult to do on The Isle, as the soils so infertile. But my mother showed me a few tricks that she uses in her time in the Underworld."

All those beautiful flowers in the garden she had found had most likely been grown by Hayden. Her heart skipped a beat in awe, but her mind whispered sinisterly that it was a weakness. One that could be explored. It would a shame if something were to happen to the garden. But the thought of ruining something so precious and bright that had impossibly blossomed in a world of darkness didn't sit well with Evie. She dared admit it even churned her stomach. It just seemed... cruel. Too cruel and such a waste.

"Persephone and Demeter, right? That's you're mother and grandmother," Evie stated, vaguely recalling the names that she had seen while troweling through the Greek mythology sections of the libraries.

Hayden nodded, humming a short agreement.

"What did they do to be sent to The Isle? I don't recall them featuring a part in your dad's villain story. I don't recall reading about them doing anything evil."

"They aren't... here," Hayden admitted hesitantly, after a beat. "They're out there free somewhere."

There was something in Hayden's voice, a little vulnerability and a little scorn that tweaked at Evie's heart. She decided to show a little pity - no matter how frowned upon it was to show your enemies such a merciful emotion - and change the topic.

"Well... your lilies are lovely," Evie said softly, so softly she hoped he wouldn't hear. Of course, he did, the proud smile tugging at his lips confirming it.

They fell into a silence after that, lying side by side, quietly watching the cloudy sky. Occasionally the clouds would part, revealing a glimmer of the barrier high above.

"You want to know my least favourite thing about living on The Isle?" Hayden broke the silence, glaring up at the night sky. "How it denies us the very heavens and stories they share. It boils my blood. What about you, Evie? What do you despise most about living here?"

"You," Evie said bluntly, maybe a little teasingly.

Hayden laughed, giving her a whimsical glare. "Besides me."

"Oh, I don't know. There are so many things to choose from."

Evie pondered it for a moment, quietly humming.

"The danger," Evie finally replied, her voice becoming oddly quiet.

It could have been the tranquillity of the night, the exhaustion of seldom being able to express her feelings, or Hayden's own personal revelations, that lulled her into confessing such a vulnerable thought. Either way, once the words were out, Evie found she didn't regret them. She could hear the chiding tsk of her mother, her eyes filled with disappointment, as she scolded Evie for telling any enemy something as intimate as that. It was a weakness, she would say, something that should never be shared with an enemy - and that was what Hayden was.

"What do you mean?" Hayden asked, tilting his head.

"Constantly being surrounded by the most vicious villains in the world. It gets tiring having to watch your back every day, knowing people could be manipulating and tricking you."

It was tiring having to be mean and cruel every day too, but that was what was expected of you. No one could afford to be compassionate, it was something that would instantly be taken advantage of. To survive on The Isle you had to have a heart of stone, you had to make it known that you were the baddest of them all, someone who should not - and  _could_  not - be messed with.

For most it was a reflex, yet for Evie, it was a conscious effort. She supposed being locked away in a castle for a decade with only her mother for company hadn't allowed for her ruthless side to flourish as it had for the other children. She had lived a sheltered life until her banishment had been lifted. The other children had no choice but to learn cruelty if they wanted to survive amongst the older villains, it had sharpened their wicked wit and malicious minds.

"I'm afraid that's pack and parcel with being a villain, Evie," Hayden replied gently. "You'll never be short of enemies wanting to stab you in the back."

Evie nodded, grimly aware of the fact.

There were plenty of perks to being a villain, as her mother constantly reminded her. One day, they would finally get everything they wanted; a beautiful castle filled with mirrors, walk-in wardrobes with every gown they could imagine, boxes over-flowing with jewellery, and a handsome prince to dote on her. Her mother promised her all this and more, promised her that their life would be as it should. But those perks meant they had to win first. And so far, Evie had never heard a story where the villain won - not in their universe. It was a fact that filled her with doubt, made her question if it was really all worth it - if perhaps there was a better way to get what she wanted.

"But I do get where you're coming from," Hayden continued. "You'll get used to it, one day, I think."

"Maybe I don't want to get used to it," Evie mumbled, more to herself.

She knew she could - if she truly wanted to. She could steel her heart and play their games of cat and mouse, trying to stay three steps ahead of the rest and outmanoeuvring everyone like pieces of chess on a board. She could be like her mother - a master manipulator who made her enemies quiver in their boots - but deep down, she didn't want to.

She wanted to do other things, even if some considered them mundane and boring. She wanted to sit in her room and design or sew together a new outfit. She wanted to mess about with her mother's potions, mix things together and tweak them to see what would happen. She wanted to explore far-off lands, to see the places she had only ever read about in weathered, old books. She wanted, wanted,  _wanted_ , so much more than her mother had planned.

But that wasn't the way it was, was it? Fate had handed her this card. It was her role to be the daughter of one of the most infamous women the world had seen. It was her destiny to be a villain, her blood dictated it, didn't it? What other choice did she have?

None.

Not here on The Isle.

Hayden reached out then, his hand finding hers, his fingers lightly brushing over hers for a moment. Evie glanced over to him, startled by the gesture. She recognised it for what it was, a small attempt at comfort. In the cold night, his warm touch was almost welcomed.

"Things will get better for you in the future, Evie. That, I give you my word on," Hayden whispered, eyes glimmering with a strange determination. "It's just going to be a hard journey to get there. But it'll be worth it."

For a second, the serenity in his eyes made her believe him. But then she remembered who it was she was talking to. Hayden, her enemy who was trying to steal her gang's turf. The future would be better for her, would it? He couldn't be talking about her, he could only mean himself. The only way her future would be better was if she took action, and that started with dealing with Hayden, the current thorn in her side who threatened her team's safety and security.

Evie steeled and chided herself. She could not let herself grow comfortable around this boy, even if his charming smile and easygoingness made it so easy to do.

_Remember who he is Evie. Remember what he's done._

"You're right, it will be better. And I'm going to make sure that happens," Evie replied, the softness in her voice turning to ice. She rose to her feet, staring down at Hayden was cold determination.

Hayden sensed the change in her demeanour and sighed, realising the tender moment they were sharing was gone, as fleeting as a shooting star. He too got to his feet, dusting off his quarter-length trousers and jacket. When he met her sharp gaze there was a grin on his face, though it didn't quite reach his eyes.

"I want to make another deal with you, Hayden."

"Oh?" Hayden's eyes twinkled with curiosity. He crossed his arms and took a challenging step forward, bringing them only inches apart. Evie tried to ignore the softness in his gaze as he stared down at her. "And what deal would that be?"

"You want the VK territory? Well, I'll give it to you. But, you have to beat us in a fight. Upsiders vs The Ghouls. If my team wins, you leave the uplands alone. And if you win, we hand over our territory. You'll have the largest area of any of the up top gangs."

If Hayden had control over the VK's territory, it gave him easy access to all the other territories as most of them were close to or boarded with the VKs. It would make taking over The Isle all the easier. It was a tempting offer, one Evie hoped Hayden wouldn't pass up on. If he won it was a shortcut to his goal, a step closer to whatever his master plan was.

 _Take the bait,_  Evie silently pleaded.  _Take it_.

"That's a rather bold offer," Hayden commented warily.

"I'm tired of games," Evie said honestly. "I want this war between you and me settled."

She wanted an end to all the trouble. No more VK tags getting vandalised, members being attacked, their base getting trashed or threats to their turf being made - at least, not from Hayden and his unruly Ghouls. If she dealt with Hayden now it was one less headache, one less enemy.

"Alright then, Evie. But I have a condition," Hayden said. "If you win then I'll leave the upland territory alone but only... until you change your mind about it."

"Excuse me?" Evie blinked, bewildered. "Until I change my mind? What, you think I'm suddenly going to want you to take over the up top?"

Hayden smiled and nodded his head, looking so disgustingly sure of himself.

"Fine, whatever," Evie said, laughing at the absurdity of it. She would never want Hayden to take over the up top. She would never be on his side. His silly little condition meant nothing to her. It was redundant. "Three days from now, your Ghouls will meet my team at Diablo Square at three o'clock. If anybody's a no-show, they lose by default. Do we have a deal?"

"Hmmm," Hayden tapped his chin, mockingly pondering over it. "Let me think. I win, I get all the VK territory, lessening my workload-"

"Going once," Evie sang sweetly.

"You win I only need to hold off my plans to change your mind-"

"Going twice-"

"Alright, alright," Hayden laughed, done teasing. "You got yourself a deal, Evie."

Hayden struck out his hand and Evie took it, shaking it firmly and ignoring the burning sensation of it. Before Evie could pull away, Hayden brought her hand up to his lips, placing a chaste kiss on her knuckles. Evie ignored the way it made her heart flutter and narrowed her eyes, a smirk on her lips.

"I hope you're ready, Hayden, cause you ain't seen nothing yet."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was meant to be twice as long and we were going to see Evie's battle prep + the battle + the aftermath. I decided to leave that till the next chapter as longer chapters take ages to write and are tedious to edit. Lots of HaydenxEvie fluff/bonding in this chapter though... before all hell breaks loose. But they are starting to bond, or rather, Evie's growing softer. It's not all hostility and in the next chapter, even though they're going to be fighting, there will be some more bonding and fluff and we'll finally learn a part of the secret of the dreams + the lilies.
> 
> We also learned a bit about Hayden's personal life (he likes gardening!) and we learned that Evie's pretty conflicted about being a villain (possibly redemption still on the table for Evie? What about Hayden?). We'll learn more about why Hayden's mother + grandmother aren't on The Isle and why he's still there (it's an important plot point later on).
> 
> References:
> 
> "She wanted, wanted, wanted so much more than her mother had planned," is a subtle reference to Belle in Beauty and The Beast, when she sings the lines 'I want so much more than they have planned' from Belle's Reprise.
> 
> Evie interrupting Hayden's playful thinking over her deal and saying 'going once... going twice' is a callback to Hercules. Those lines are said twice, once by Hades and the other by Hercules when they're making deals with one another. (Really wish I'd added that in chapter 3 when Hayden and Evie make their deal. Might add it in once I finish the story and edit some stuff.)
> 
> The last line 'you ain't seen nothing yet' is from Descendants 1 song Rotten to The Core. It's one of my fav lines that I love to slip into my Descendant stories. And another reference to this song is 'baddest of them all'.
> 
> Diablo Square, I made up, but it's a reference to Maleficent's pet crow Diablo.


	7. War and Interrogations

There were many places on The Isle that Evie had never seen, her time locked away in her castle preventing it. Goblin Wharf was one of those places. She had only been to the docks briefly, and none of those occasions had been with good intentions. She had only come here on VK missions to prank the pirate gangs that favoured the docks, particularly Uma and her crew - Mal's most hated rival. Under normal circumstances, if Evie - or any VK - were to set foot in this place, pirates would descend upon them like a swarm of wasps, sharp swords aimed at their throats. 

But this was not normal circumstances.

It was with a sense of dread that Evie found herself walking along the wooden planks of Goblin Wharf, straight into enemy territory. Pirates working or lounging on the docks eyed her suspiciously. Evie ignored their stares and whispers, keeping her head tall as she strutted towards  _The Lost Revenge -_ Uma's base and one of her most prized possessions. No one would hurt her, not since they knew she was coming and had been given permission by Uma. Days prior Evie had sent a letter and a white flag, asking for a temporary truce so that they could discuss a certain, troublesome mutual enemy of theirs.

Zevon and Dizzy had warned Evie against going, convinced Uma would take the chance to spring a trap on her. But Evie knew well enough from Mal that once Uma made a deal, she always kept it. She never went back on her word. As a precaution though, Evie had insisted that she come on her own, ensuring that no other VKs would be hurt. It was a major risk that Evie was taking. In order for her plan to win against The Ghouls to work, Evie needed Uma's help.

Out of all the gangs that VKs fought on The Isle, it was Uma's pirates that they loathed fighting most. After the VKs they were the second largest faction on The Isle. They were quick, vicious and never held back. Their expert sword fighting skills gave them a sharp edge, one that had lead to many defeats of other gangs, including on occasions the VKs - that was how Mal had lost a section of coastline (leaving them landlocked) much to the fairy's eternal fury.

If there was anyone that Evie wanted on her side against Hayden, then it was Uma and her crew. With them, she knew that they had a greater chance of winning. Whether or not Uma would agree to help them though was another matter.

"And the princess with her fake crown finally arrives," a snide voice quipped.

Evie glanced up at  _The Lost Revenge_ , finding Uma standing at the railings of her ship, looking down at her with an unpleasant smile on her face. She gestured for Evie to head up the ramp that would lead her onto the ship. Evie smiled and made her way onto the ship, following Uma inside and through several corridors until they came to the Captain's cabin. At that moment, Evie felt like a little mermaid swimming straight into the Kraken's den. 

"Take a seat, make yourself at home," Uma said flatly as she sat at her desk.

Evie sat down on the seat across from her, crossing her legs and clasping her hands - prim and proper as a princess should.

"I'm here to talk about Hayden," Evie said, getting straight to business.

"I know. You're certainly not here so we can paint each other's nails and gossip," Uma remarked dryly.

Evie glanced at Uma's nails, looking for inspiration for a mean-spirited retort. But upon seeing Uma's perfectly done nails, her lips quirked into a genuine smile and her eyes lit up with excitement. Evie completely forgot herself and who she was dealing with, letting her enthusiasm for makeup get the better of her. 

"With nails like those, I don't think you need help doing them. Is that Evil Sparkle Nail Polish?"

Uma nodded unsurely, narrowing her eyes as Evie took her hand and looked them over. They were perfectly manicured and painted purple with glitter shining through. Uma had even gone the extra mile and had small, coiling tentacles painted on. It complimented her outfit beautifully! Enemies or not, Evie had to admit style when she saw it.

"Those are wicked," Evie said earnestly, smiling as she examined the design. "Did you do these yourself?"

"Yipe," Uma said warily, taking her hand back.  

"Anyway," Evie said, shaking her head and feeling a little embarrassed at getting carried away. "I know you know that Hayden's taken over Gothel and Westergaard's turf-"

"And as of yesterday CJ's territory too," Uma added with a scowl.

"He's also made moves against you and your crew, as well as mine. Hayden is a problem. If we don't do something soon he's going to take over the entire Isle, which he said is his plan."

"If 'we' don't do something soon?" Uma snorted, giving Evie an amused look. "What makes you think I'm stupid enough to do anything against Hayden?"

"What do you mean stupid? If we do nothing then he's going to take over our turf and then were will be?" Evie challenged.

Uma was slowly confirming a suspicion that Evie had held for a while now. She had found it very strange that there was no news of reprisal against The Ghouls by Uma and her crew. It was odd. Uma wasn't known for sitting back and letting people walk all over her. If someone so much as stepped on her toe the offender was chucked overboard into shark-infested waters. If Uma didn't get them then one of her loyal crew members certainly would - they loved and respected Uma too much not too.

So why then, hadn't Uma acted out against Hayden? The only reason that Evie could come up with was that she knew something that other's like Ginny and Hamlet had not known. Something like the VKs plan to bring down the barrier? How that was possible though, Evie didn't know. The only ones who knew of the plan were the main VKs - Zevon, Freddie, Dizzy and herself.

"Then why haven't you done anything either?" Uma asked. "I'd hazard a guess to say its the same reason as me. Witches, dragons, genies and sea monsters are one thing, but demigods are a completely different ball game. Unlike some other foolish souls, you and I don't run head first into a battle without a plan of action. I don't want to make enemies with divinity, not this early in the game."

"But he doesn't have any powers here on The Isle. What does it matter if you pick a fight with him?"

Uma leaned back in her seat, a sly grin on her face.

"Unlike Hamlet and Ginny, I know that there's a chance we  _might_ be getting off The Isle."

"Oh, is that so?" Evie asked innocently.

Uma grinned darkly. 

"I used to be Mal's best friend, I spent plenty of time with her mother breathing down our necks. I know Maleficent well enough to know that she wouldn't allow her daughter to go to Auradon without trying to take advantage of it. Mal, Jay and Carlos are going to attempt to bring down the barrier, aren't they?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Evie replied evenly.

Uma laughed, shaking her head. "Keep your VK secrets, I don't care. I know I'm right. And I know that I don't want to anger a demigod."

Evie held back a sigh, not pleased with the way things were turning out. She needed Uma on her side, but to do that she was going to have to give Uma the confirmation she was looking for. It wasn't ideal, but it seemed Uma was already ahead of the game in that regards.

"Alright then, let's say in  _theory-"_ in theory being as a good an admittance _"-_ thatthe barrier will be broken. What if I told you Hayden won't have any powers to use against us?"

"I'd say you've been brushing up on your Greek mythology," Uma replied. "No demigod is born with powers, they have to earn them through feats of great heroism... or villainy."

"How do you know that?" Evie asked, crossing her arms. "All the information on demigods was wiped out in the libraries."

"Oh? Then how do you know?" Uma said with a questioning look. "You tell me your secrets and I'll tell you mine."

Letting Uma - or anyone - know about the spell to summon The Fates wasn't something Evie wanted to do. It was possible Uma already knew about it, as she seemed knowledgeable in Greek mythology, but it was better to be safe than sorry. Instead, Evie shrugged her shoulders.

"Didn't think so," Uma smirked.

"Regardless of how we got our information, what matters is that we deal with Hayden. We can stop him now and when - if - the barrier falls, all we need to do is make sure Hayden stays locked up where he can't earn his divinity. We can reactive the barrier, leave him cooped up in there with all the heroes."

"You really think you can stop Hayden from earing his divinity?" Uma questioned sceptically. "Let me tell you something about Hayden, he's a lot like his dad. He doesn't give up. He won't stop until he gets what he wants."

"So you'll do nothing?"

"Pretty much," Uma shrugged.

"Wow," Evie let out a breath of disbelief. "You know, I never took you as the type to be afraid."

"What did you just say?" Uma whispered dangerously, her eyes gleaming threateningly.

"You heard me," Evie retorted. "You can sit around here and do nothing but I'm not going to let Hayden push me and my friends around - not anymore. I've been avoiding doing anything for too long. I wanted to find out what I was dealing with before I crossed him but the more I think about it the more I realize that I've just been delaying the inevitable. On The Isle or off it, Hayden's going to be a threat. He said he has 'bigger things at play'. I don't know what that is but it can't be good for any of us."

Uma frowned and rose to her feet. She paced behind her desk, looking deep in thought.

"How much do you wanna bet those bigger things are plans to take over the world?"

"And to acquire his divinity," Evie added. "Do you think you can take on a God by yourself?"

"Can you?" Uma asked, quirked an eyebrow.

Evie shook her head. "No, I don't. That's why I came to you. I want us to work together to beat him. The last few days I've been getting as many of the villain children to help me fight against him. One big brawl to end it. It's happening tomorrow at three o'clock at Diablo Square. Upsiders vs The Ghouls. If we win then he'll leave all the upland territory alone."

"He agreed to that?" Uma scoffed.

"I don't think he was paying as much attention to the details of that deal as he should have been," Evie said with a smile. "Look, if you don't come fine. It's your choice. But once we're gone he's going to come for you. You're the next biggest faction and definitely one of the strongest. I know we don't get along and I know you don't like me, but if we can put aside our differences for now, then we can deal with the bigger threat."

Evie and Uma had never had any one on one interactions, whenever they were in the same place it was during battles between their gangs, and it was always Mal who confronted the sea witches daughter. Still, despite not having many personal interactions, there was an undercurrent of tension between the two girls. Evie was Mal's best friend, whereas Uma was Mal's ex-best friend. Quite often, Uma's crews liked to bring up that fact, poisonous quips poised on their tongues how Mal would one day turn on Evie too, just like she had done to Uma.

"I don't think I can do this without you, Uma," Evie admitted, and it took a great deal of pride swallowing to do so. "But I'm sure as hell going to try."

Without another word, Evie left.

* * *

"Of all the people to come up with such a stupid idea as giving up all the VK territory, I never thought it'd be you, Evie."

Evie winced as Freddie continued to scold her. Most of the VKs had been pleased that they were finally taking action against Hayden, but some - Freddie being the main contender - were displeased by the high stakes. The ones who were committed to the battle wholeheartedly didn't seem to mind, confident that they could beat The Ghouls anywhere any place. Evie understood Freddie and the other's reservations, they stood to lose everything if this went wrong. It was such a dangerous gamble.

"Only if we lose," Evie replied quietly, tying her hair up into a high, messy ponytail. "Ugh, why did it have to rain today? My hairs going to get all frizzy!"

The VKs - Evie, Freddie, Zevon and the other less known ones - stood at one side of Diablo Square, armed with sling-shots (rocks, smoke bombs and paint bombs as ammo), paint-ball guns, swords, quarterstaffs and their fists. Some of their team were perched on windowsills and trashcans, eagerly whispering to one another about their excitement at getting to fight. It had been a while since they had geared up for such a large fight, usually, it was restricted to small squabbles here and there.

"Are you sure this is what you want to do? Like, I don't think we can back out of it now, but still, if you could would you?" Freddie asked Evie as she leant back against a wall.

"Of course I want to do this. We need to-"

"-deal with, Hayden, I know," Freddie cut in. "But Zevon seemed convinced that there was something going on between you and Hayden. At least, on Hayden's side anyway."

"There is nothing going on," Evie rolled her eyes.

"Oh, really?" Freddie drawled. "Then how come I spotted you and him all cosy up on the rooftops a few days ago?"

Evie almost choked in surprise, her eyes growing large. "Wow, wow, wow! No, I was not  _cosying_ up with Hayden on the rooftops! How did you even see me up there?"

"A friend on the other side told me," Freddie laughed when Evie gave her an unimpressed pout. "You seem to forget that my house is on the same street as your hideaway spot. I saw you. I was about to come to help you when I saw Hayden approaching but you seemed to have everything handled. Don't worry! I didn't hear anything!"

"Freddie," Evie sighed, running a hand down her neck. "It's not what you think. He found me, and that's when I offered him the challenge."

Freddie nodded her head, but the look on her face told Evie that she wasn't convinced.

"It's just that... well, you always had a thing for princes."

"Hayden isn't a prince," Evie snorted. 

"He's technically Prince of The Underworld," Freddie pointed out. "And let's be honest, he is pretty easy on the eye."

Before Evie could get anymore flustered or defensive, Hayden arrived. 

 _Speak of the devil and he shall appear,_ Evie thought with a sigh. 

"Are we all ready to rumble?" Hayden's voice called out, echoing around the square.

Everyone turned around, seeing Hayden and a small army of Ghouls standing at the other side, their shadows stretching menacingly across the square. Evie's eyes widened when she saw just how many of them there were. Evie had brought all twenty of the VKs, yet Hayden had at least thirty Ghouls with him. Just how many people were on his team? No one had seen more than eight members with him whenever he came up top to cause mischief! It seemed the devious rascal that he was, he had been holding out on them, saving a few aces up his sleeves.

"Ready, Evie?" Hayden called out, giving her a cheeky wink.

Freddie quirked a questing brow at Evie, but Evie's full attention was on Hayden.

"Born ready," Evie replied with a smirk.

Hayden grinned, turning around as one of his Ghouls handed him a large, black sword that was intricately decorated with skulls and bones. Evie blinked, startled by the sinister-looking sword, gleaming in the streetlights. It had to be Hade's sword. It looked impossibly heavy, yet Hayden held it in his grip with ease, swinging it a few times experimentally.

"Um, Evie," Zevon whispered beside her, passing her one of their cutlass swords, "you might need this."

Evie glanced at her sword, thinking it pitiful and small compared to Hayden's. It was going to shatter with one hit!

"Oh well, you know what they say about boys and big swords," Evie quipped, earning her a snort from Freddie and a confused look from Zevon. "It's on! VKs, show them who's the baddest of them all!"

The VKs let out their battle cries before leaping from their perches and charging across the square. The Ghouls smirked and darted forward, each one pairing themselves up with another VK. Unfortunately, with so many more Ghouls, some VKs found themselves fending off two or more foes at once. Some from each team stayed out of the battlefield, hiding behind trashcans and walls where they could safely launch projectiles via their slingshots and paintball guns.

Evie pushed her way through the battling crowds, avoiding fists, swords and flying debris. She knew exactly who she was going for. Hayden was waiting for in the center of the chaos, a grin on his face. He gave her a mock bow before pointing his sword at her.

"Ladies first," Hayden drawled. 

"My pleasure," Evie gritted out, swinging her sword into his.

The metal clashed loudly, but it was drowned out by the shouts and ruckus of the fights around them. Evie kept on the advance, striking Hayden's sword harshly and trying to disarm him. If she could take Hayden down then it would end the fight. Ultimately, it never mattered how many pawns or knights you took out, what mattered, in the end, was taking down the King. 

Hayden blocked all her moves, much to Evie's growing frustration. He held his sword easily, his movements flowing almost like a dance. When he finally pushed her into the defensive, it became clear just how well acquainted with his sword that he was. His movements were graceful and fast and he had clearly spent a lot of time practising.

"Where did you learn how to sword fight?" Hayden asked, parring her attempt at trying to go on the advance.

"Mal," Evie replied, barely blocking his next attack. 

Mal had learned to fence from Uma when they had been friends, and it was something she had taught Evie to help her in their fights against the sword favouring pirates. At this point, Evie wished she had paid more attention to the lessons. Sword fighting was not one of her strong points, and right now it was as clear as day. 

"You need a new teacher," Hayden said regretfully.

As if to prove the point, Hayden thrust his sword forward and sent Evie's blade spinning through the air. Evie gasped but before she could make a move to get it Hayden had darted forward, ready to grab her and immobilise her. Evie spun out of his reach, pushing him aside and diving into the fights around her, trying to find her sword. A quick glance behind her confirmed that Hayden was pushing his way through the clashes, not caring to go after anyone but her. He didn't get close to her, as two VKs who were looking out for their leader, swung their sword and quarterstaff towards his head, forcing him to defend himself and giving Evie a chance to get her sword.

Once Evie had her sword back in hand, and with Hayden preoccupied by two VKs, it gave her a moment to catch her breath and assess the fight. To her elation, the VKs were overpowering The Ghouls, many of Hayden's allies being tied up and dragged into one of the nearby abandoned shops that they had commandeered for their temporary prison. If things kept up like this, they would be victorious in no time!

Unfortunately, Hayden had also realized this too. With a vicious snarl, he disarmed the VK fighting him with a sword then shoved him to the ground, knocking him out. The other VK attempted to whack his head again with his staff, only to have it severed by Hayden's sword before the boy was kicked in the stomach, causing him to fall to his knees in pain. Hayden brought his fingers to his lips and whistled loudly.

Evie felt her excitement evaporate when she saw more Ghouls coming from two of the lanes. They were going to be overwhelmed!

 _Oh no, you don't,_  Evie thought determinedly.

"CJ NOW!" Evie shouted.

A large, rope net, weighed down by cannon balls, descended from the rooftops, crashing down on one of the waves of Ghouls. They cried out, the heavy weight of the net forcing them to their knees. 

High on the rooftops, Evie saw CJ Hook's head appear. The pirate gave her a salute her, an evil grin on her face. CJ and her gang - The Lost Pirates - were among the few factions Evie had managed to convince to join her cause against Hayden. They were a small group, with only four members excluding CJ, but they were fierce and skilled. After having their own territory snatched up by The Ghouls, they were more than eager to get revenge.

The net didn't capture all The Ghouls, but it certainly helped. VK's began lunching colourful smoke bombs towards the new invaders, filling the square with a rainbow of different smokes that merged together like a giant, smokey cloud. It was becoming harder to breathe and make sense of what was happening all around them. Evie found herself more and more disorientated, the vibrant colours hiding her foes and allies from view.

That was when Hayden struck.

He leapt out from a red cloud and before Evie could react he had once against disarmed her, the force of his blow against her sword sending her to the ground. Hayden had his sword pointed at her throat, a victorious grin on his face.

"I told you, Evie, I can't be beaten," Hayden said softly. "Now, do you yield?"

Evie gritted her teeth, looking up at the demigod with eyes burning with rage, dispair flooding her heart. 

She had failed the VKs, she had failed her friends! Mal had trusted her with taking care of the team, of making sure everyone was provided for and had the safety of their turf. Now every VK who had looked up to her and trusted her would suffer. All because of her rashness and silly chance!

Pride would not allow her to take it quietly, and a nasty curse settled on her lips. But before she could speak someone else spoke out, astonishing both of them. 

"Better question is do you yield, you snivelling little semi-demi mini god?"

Hayden turned around at the sound of the new voice, furious at their insult. Never in her life did Evie think she would be so thankful to see Uma than she did now. Uma, leader of the sea three, was standing behind Hayden, a grin on her face and a sword in her hand, pointed at Hayden.

"Don't you know it's rude to hit a lady?"

"I'm surprised to see you here," Hayden replied with a glare, his voice cold and sharp. "I thought you'd know better than to challenge me, cousin."

 _Cousin?_  Evie blinked, taken aback.  _That's how she knew about demigods. She's related to one!_

Evie wasn't quite sure what that meant for Uma. If she was a demigod too then why had she ever hesitated to retaliate against Hayden? She was on the same boat as him, surely? Even if she didn't have powers now she could still achieve them as Hayden planned to. Or perhaps there was something Evie was missing about this?

"You're not a God, Hayden," Uma replied with a shrug. "So, you're not that scary."

"Yet," Hayden said with a smirk.

Hayden didn't notice Evie slowly rise to her feet during his exchange with Uma, nor did he see her fingers grabbing hold of her fallen sword. Uma saw her and gave her a subtle nod. Without words, Evie knew what to do.

"Not ever," Evie hissed.

Hayden barely turned before both Uma and Evie rose their swords as one and smashed them down towards the startled demigod. Hayden barely managed to angle his sword at an awkward position, catching both girl's blades. Sweat trickled down his cheeks as he strained under their combined strengths pushing down on him.

"This was supposed to be between The Ghouls and The VKs, Evie!" Hayden gritted out, his eyes glowing brightly. She had never heard him so angry before, not directed at her. 

"If you had paid any attention, you'd know that I said The Upsiders vs The Ghouls! Not just The VKs!" Evie replied, grunting as she applied more pressure to their blades lock.

Hayden rolled his eyes, scoffing.

"You'd think a demigod would know better," Uma quipped with an evil smirk. "You're getting neglectful in your old age. I'm sure your dad will be so disappointed when he finds out."

Around the three leaders, the smoke began to clear. 

Hayden's scowl only deepened when he saw how badly his Ghouls were losing. More of Evie's reinforcements had arrived; Ginny Gothel's Witches, Hamlet and his gang the Guards, Uma's crew, and Captain Silver's Son Sandy and his flock of pirates. They had all be victim to Hayden and his Ghouls reign of terror for the past few months; being insulted, suffering their pranks, having turf stolen and members attacked. It hadn't taken much to persuade many of them to join the fight, they all desired to see Hayden and his Ghoulish followers fall. 

"Face it, Hayden, you've lost," Evie said.

Hayden looked around them with unease. More and more of his enemies were surrounding the trio, most of The Ghouls having been defeated. He was surrounded, even if he managed to overpower Uma and Evie he would be done for. There was no way he could take them all on, not powerless. His grip on his sword tightened, and Evie's eyes widened when she saw smoke resonating from his gloved hands, his fury at the turn of events heating up his skin and sizzling the leather cladding his hands. He took in a deep breath, trying to calm himself.

"I suppose there's no way for me to talk myself out of this one, is there?" Hayden said with a mirthless chuckle. "Alright, Ladies. I know when I'm beaten. I yield."

The girl's released their pressure and Hayden dropped his sword to the ground with a defeating clatter, holding his hands up in surrender. The remaining Ghouls saw this and followed his lead, dropping their weapons and raising their hands. The Upsiders let out a triumphant cheer, patting each other on the back as they grinned. 

"Question is, what to do with you?" Uma said, crossing her arms and looking evily at her cousin, a malicious glint in her eyes. 

"FEATHER HIM!"

Everyone turned around to see Zevon pushing his way through the crowds, excitement on his face as he pointed at Hayden. Poor Zevon hadn't fared well in the battle. He was covered head to toe in paint and seeing as the VK's had been the only ones using paint, it either meant their aim was terribly off or they really did not like Zevon - but then again, Zevon had never the been the luckiest or best at dodging. His clothes were badly shredded and falling off his body, revealing several burices and fresh cuts on his skin. 

"We should feather him like a chicken! That's what we should do!" Zevon shouted - almost with maniacal delight - his eyes alight with the promise of revenge. It seemed Zevon was still quite bitter about the feathering. 

"If anyone's deciding what happens to Hayden it's going to be Evie," Uma cut in, surprising everyone - especially Evie. "This is your territory after all. I trust you'll give him ample payback for all the trouble he's given us."

Evie nodded, unable to help the smile that graced her face.

If it hadn't been for Uma's intervention, this battle would have turned out very differently - and not in the VKs (or ultimately anyones) favour. For Uma to then concede Hayden's punishment to her was even more magnanimous. 

Uma smiled back, giving Evie a quick nod before her and her crew left, everyone else following swiftly after, leaving only the VKs in the square. Evie glanced around at the mess they had made. Trash and make-shift projectiles were scattered everywhere, the buildings and ground were stained with paint and several windows had been smashed. They did not want to be here when any adults who lived nearby came out for a wander. 

"Let's get going VKs," Evie said, leading the way back to the base. 

* * *

"And just what, pray tell, are you going to do with me, Evie?"

Evie tried her best to ignore Hayden's teasing drawl, it edged far too close to salacious. It didn't help that she currently had him tied to a chair in the VK's base or that she had to him all to herself. After they had helped bring Hayden here, Evie had sent the other VKs away home, to give them time to recover and clean up from the battle.

Hayden did raise a good question though. What was she going to do with him?

Uma would have keelhauled him. Jay would have beaten him up and then shoved him in a dumpster and locked him in there until the waste disposal people found him. Mal would have served some ironic justice and feathered him like he had done to their fellow VK, beat him up and then threw him a dumpster.

Evie though, she wasn't quite sure what to do. Delivering punishments was something she had never done - that had always been Jay and Mal's roles. She had pulled plenty of pranks during her time as a VK, but not on someone who was utterly defenceless. It just felt... cowardly. 

Despite her reservations, she couldn't just let him go. Her deal may prevent him from going after the Upsider's territory, but he still deserved punishment for all the trouble he and his Ghouls had done. If anyone found out that Evie had let him off the hook without so much as a slap across the wrist they would have her head!

With a sigh, Evie dragged another chair across the room, planting it in front of Hayden. She sat down on it and crossed her arms, looking him over tiredly. Since she had him at her mercy, she supposed now was as good a time as any to find answers to her questions. 

"Alright, Hayden. Here's the deal. I'll let you go... if _..._ you answer my questions."

"And if I don't?" Hayden asked with a slow blink.

"Then I'll tie you to a tree in the Dark Forest and leave you there to rot," Evie threatened sweetly. "Or until a wolf comes along and gobbles you up. The Undercity isn't the only place with monsters."

"A convincing argument," Hayden said with a grin. "What's your question? Though if you ever want to ask me anything, for future reference, you don't have to tie me up - not that I'm complaining. It's just that there are easier ways to get me talking."

Evie rolled her eyes before meeting his gaze.

"What do you have to do with the dreams I'm having?"

The smile on Hayden's face dropped. For once, he seemed genuinely startled - she had caught him off guard. He straightened his posture as best he could within his restraints, no longer looking quite so nonchalant.

"I know you have something to do with them," Evie continued, more certain of it than ever now that she had seen his reaction. "What do they mean? Are you making me have them?"

"How can I? I don't have any powers."

"But you do know about them?"

"Possibly."

Evie sighed and stood up, making her way around to the back of his chair. After everything that had been happening of late, all the stress, plotting and fragile alliances, Evie had had more than enough of vague answers and riddles. She gripped onto the back of Hayden's chair and yanked it back, earning her a gasp from Hayden. The chair scraped loudly against the wooden floorboards as she dragged Hayden across the room, to the edge of the staircase. Evie stood on the top step, her grip the only thing keeping Hayden from a very nasty fall.

Evie's patience had officially gone out the window. 

"Careful," Evie whispered into his ear as she jerked back his chair, causing him to yelp as it almost lost balance. "It would be a shame if you lost balance and fell down the stairs."

"Beauty of an angel and the temperament of a devil," Hayden blew his neon hair from his face, throwing Evie a smirk over his shoulder. "Alright, fine. I know about your dreams."

"Well?"

"I know about them... because I have them too."

Of all the answers Hayden could have given her, that one had never crossed her mind. Evie blinked, confusion causing a frown to form on her face.

"That's not possible," Evie whispered.

"It is. You dream of fields of lilies and a river of death. And in every one there's always a boy who pulls your from the river, holds you close, and lies in the grass with you."

Although she couldn't remember, Hayden's words struck a chord with her. Fleetingly, Evie got a vague recollection of the dreams. She could feel someone warm holding her hand, touching her cheek and brushing their lips against her forehead. She remembered the feeling of flowers under her fingers, their sweet scent tickling her nose and their brightness blinding her. She recalled the feeling of terror shaking her body, bringing tears to her eyes as sickly water filled her lungs, burning her throat. 

And just like that, they were gone again, just flimsy strands of memories that made no sense and hurt to recall. Even then, Evie could clearly remember seeing mentions of lilies, rivers and a mysterious boy in her dream journals.

"I don't know," Evie murmured. "I can never remember."

With a sigh, Evie shook her head, trying to clear it.

"If what you said was true, then that means you remember the dreams? Why do you remember and I don't? What even are they? Some kind of magic?"

"I never used to remember them," Hayden confessed, his voice soft. "Whenever I woke up they faded away so quickly, like ice melting under a flame. I tried writing down any little snippet I could to help me remember, but it never helped. It just left me more and more frustrated. I knew I shouldn't be able to have dreams, not here on The Isle. They had to mean something."

Evie released her grip from the chair and made her way to stand in front of Hayden, her arms crossed tightly across her chest. She could see the irritation and struggles Hayden had felt with the dreams on his face, as well as in his voice. She felt a surge of sympathy for him, as she too had gone through the same thing. 

Having dreams when it should not be possible was unsettling, and as a student of witchcraft she too had grown up knowing of the secrets and potential messages that dreams conveyed. It made her anxious, knowing that the dreams could be a warning or trying to tell her something important, and yet no matter how hard she tried she couldn't recall them.

"Yet now you remember them. How did you manage that?" Evie asked.

"I remembered what they  _meant_. That's the only way you'll be able to remember them, if you figure what they're trying to tell you."

"I've been trying to figure that out since I was ten, why don't you just tell me and spare me any more frustrations?"

"It won't work if I tell you because you have to remember them," Hayden gave her a sympathetic smile. "Me telling you what happened isn't remembering. If it would help I swear I would tell you everything, Evie."

Evie pouted, causing Hayden to chuckle.

"I know how irritating and confusing this all is. Believe me, I've gone through the same thing that you have. There's something you've forgotten and the dreams want you to remember."

"Is that why you gave me a lily? To help me remember?" Evie asked, tilting her head.

Hayden smiled cheekily. "That  _might_ be the other reason."

Evie lowered herself to the floor, leaning her back against the wall. She brought her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around them. There was so much to take in and yet there was still so much to learn. These dreams that had haunted her meant something and for whatever reason Hayden was sharing the same dreams.

"Do you know what's causing the dreams?"

"I have my suspicions," Hayden admitted carefully. "But I'd rather keep them to myself for now. Just until you remember what the dreams mean. If I told you who I thought it was before then you would  _probably_ kill me on the spot."

"That isn't making me feel any better," Evie replied dryly, quirking an eyebrow.

"It'll make sense later," Hayden shrugged, laughing a little. "Let's just say, it's someone not on The Isle."

If it was someone not on The Isle then that meant it couldn't be a villainous force, which was a breath of relief. It relaxed Evie a little knowing that some unknown evil wasn't out there trying to manipulate her for whatever reason. It would have to be someone good or neutral for their powers to be able to bypass the barrier to influence their dreams. Evie wondered if this person was the same one The Fates had mentioned, the mysterious man who had asked The Fates to see if she remembered. There was a high chance that it was.

 _For every answer, there's another question,_  Evie thought miserably.

"I'm guessing what I have to remember has something to do with you, seeing as you're in my dreams?" Evie guessed, unsure of how to feel about that.

"I can't say," Hayden said. "But... I think I might have a way to help you remember."

"And what's that?" Evie asked, narrowing her eyes.

"I have something back in The Undercity that'll help you. Something similar helped me remember."

"Is that hint that you want me to let you go now?" Evie asked, a bit amused.

"Well if you're offering?" Hayden said with a grin, then with a wink he added, "or you could keep me indefinitely. I won't complain."

"I'm not into self-torturing," Evie said sweetly. "Fine, I'll let you go. But I can't let you go without some kind of revenge, you understand, I'm sure."

Hayden narrowed his eyes, watching her as she made her way over to one of the tables. His nerves did not settle as she pulled on a pair of white gloves and brought a basin of water over to the stairs. In her hand was a bottle, and when he read the label, his mouth dropped open and his stomach twisted. 

"Evie... let's talk about this first!" 

"Let's be honest, Hayden, I could do a lot worse. But since you answered my questions, I'll let you off easily," Evie replied casually as she unscrewed the lid with deliberate slowness. 

"This isn't letting me off easily!" Hayden hissed, struggling to free himself from his bonds. "Evie! Wait! I swear I'll make you regret this if you do this!"

"Admittedly, I really do love your blue hair," Evie said, putting the bottle down to run her fingers through his hair. "But it's so last season. A new look will do you some good."

"You are not dying my hair pink!" Hayden yelled, his amber eyes glowing brightly.

"I'm not," Evie gasped, putting a hand to her heart. She was enjoying this far too much. Maybe a little torture wasn't as bad as she thought - she could easily get used to this. "I'm dying it magenta, which is much deeper than pink."

Afterwards, Evie left Hayden tied to a chair with his hair filled with pink soap. She didn't release him herself, she was too smart for that. Instead, she released The Ghouls who had been left tied up at the shop in Diablo Square and told them where to find their leader, reminding them to tell Hayden that he wasn't allowed to mess with any upland territory, including hers - no matter how annoyed he might be feeling. 

* * *

Evie didn't see Hayden for a few weeks after that, she figured he was still a little annoyed about her punishment. One night though, he finally made his presence known. 

She had returned home to the castle late one night and was startled to find her curtains billowing in the window that she was sure she had left closed. She had gone to close it only to find something sitting on her windowsill, waiting for her. The item sat on a velvet cushion, a piece of parchment lying beside it with the words  _'to help you remember'_  written on it in calligraphy. Evie picked up the item.

It was a pomegranate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I... cannot bring myself to write Harry in the same scene as Evie. If anyone reads my other Descendant stories you'll know I'm a hevie shippers and I just... can't do it. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I'd love to hear your theories and thoughts! Honestly, they really do inspire me! Heck this whole story is inspired by a single review I got in another comment :D 
> 
> Uma being Hayden's relative was pointed out by the lovely BriEva, which is something I'll talk about later in the story. For anyone wondering, it actually would be canon in the Disney Universe. Ursula and Triton (Ariel's father) are actually siblings. It's never shown in The Little Mermaid movie (it was actually a deleted concept and there is a deleted scene where Ariel calls Ursula her aunt), however, in other media they brought back the idea and established it, such as in The Little Mermaid Disney musical as well as the Disney book 'Poor Unfortunate Soul: A Tale of the Sea Witch (Villains)' which gives Ursula a backstory. Spoiler alert, Triton wasn't a very good big brother. In Greek mythology, Triton is the son of Poseidon, which means he would also be Ursula's father and Uma's grandfather. Poseidon is the God of The Sea and also Hades brother (Hayden's father), which is where Hayden gets his relation to Uma. Hercules in Disneyland (the actor) was asked by a fan if Hercules and Ariel are cousins due to Poseidon being Ariel's grandfather and Hercules uncle and he confirmed it (there's a video of it on youtube). I just settled with calling them cousins cause it was hurting my head trying to figure out what exactly they would be to each other (they're like second cousins, something removed... or something. If anyone works it out let me know.) 
> 
> For anyone worried about Hayden's luscious blue hair, have no fear, he will get it dyed back to its natural blue. I'd like to think he learned his lesson and won't mess with Evie buuuuut he we'll have to see. 
> 
> References: 
> 
> "-Princess and her fake crown," is a reference to the lines in What's My Name in Descendants 2 'don't need to wear no fake crown.'
> 
> "Are we all ready to rumble?" is a reference to Hercules, when Hades says 'let's get ready to rumble' just before Hercules fights the Hydra.
> 
> "You little semi-demi mini-god," is a reference to Moana, said by Tamatoe in the song Shiny. 
> 
> I have a feeling I've missed a few, but oh well.


	8. Change The Fates Design

The month that followed the showdown between The Ghouls and The Upsiders was strangely peaceful. There were no more issues caused by The Ghouls, Hayden kept his word and ended his terror spree on the uplands. Even the other factions left the VK territory alone, out of respect for the leader who had managed to secure the deal and unite The Isle against their common enemy. The Ghouls and their chaos were contained, revenge had been found, and things on the Isle returned to the way they once were.

It was a fragile peace and sadly, it was not to last.

Not many on The Isle cared about the upcoming coronation of Prince Ben in Auradon, none there considered him or his family their monarchy. And yet, in the background of every home, tavern and shop on The Isle, the television screens lit up with news reports of the big day - there was little choice, every TV station was broadcasting the event - and to most, it was nothing more than background noise, with only a scant few paying any real attention. If they had known how drastically the coronation would change their rigorously routine days, altering the political landscape and mood of their isle, perhaps they would have taken more heed.

But how could anyone - out with a small few - have none what changes this day would have brought? How could anyone have known the way that fate had been tinkered with, its original design changed? 

Deep inside Bargain Caste, one group did pay close attention to the coronation, those who were well aware of the significance of this event. Maleficent, Jafar, Cruella De Vil, The Evil Queen and Evie surrounded the television screen, watching the live coverage of the event. Evie stood behind her mother's seat, her arms draped over the older woman's shoulders. Her mother had revealed to her the night before that today was the day, that her friend's plan was finally being enacted.

A grin burst onto Evie's face when Mal appeared on the screen, sitting in a glistening carriage beside the handsome Prince - soon to be King - Ben. Mal looked beautiful, and Evie sighed at the sight of her friend looking so radiant in her elaborate, silk, purple gown and hair curled and pinned up.

"Oh, she looks beautiful!" Evie sighed dreamily.

"Of course, she does," Maleficent scoffed. "She takes after her mother."

The Evil Queen rolled her eyes. Jafar snorted. And Cruella nodded in agreement. 

Envy swelled within Evie to see Mal fleetingly living the life of a fairytale princess; beautiful gown, golden carriage, shimmering castle, a charming prince, fawning crowds and all. It was  _everything_  Evie had yearned for. Soon enough, once Mal and the other's carried out their plans, she would not only get a taste of that dream, it would be hers. It was close now, so very close. She could already feel the silks of the dresses she would get to wear, the weight of a diamond tiara on her head, and the smell of the exotic, fresh foods that would be served to her each day. Evie had never felt more excited. Soon enough the barrier would be brought down and she would be reunited with Mal and the others and then finally -  _finally -_  she and her mother could get everything they had ever dreamed. The life of hardship they had lived would be over. Everything would perfect! 

 _Just as soon as you grab that wand,_  Evie thought, biting her lip. _Come on Mal, it's right there!_

No one had expected the daughter of Fairy Godmother - Jane - to grab the wand. In her inexperience and jitters, she accidentally unleashed the magic inside the wand, causing a glitch in the barrier for only a moment. Maleficent, having been watching with a sharp eye, saw and felt her chance and took it, vanishing in a puff of green smoke. The other adults looked stunned, but they knew where the dark fairy had gone and turned their gazes back to the television where the wand had finally found its way into Mal's hand.

Evie practically jumped from her skin, grinning and clapping excitedly. It felt like the clouds had finally been lifted from above The Isle, letting pure sunshine flood in. Everything they wanted was in reach, all Mal had to do now was activate the magic and the barrier would finally come crashing down, releasing them all! With Maleficent already out, Mal and the others would have all the aid they needed should anything go wrong.

"Come on, Mal!" Evie said, watching her friend intently.

But instead of doing what she should have done instantly... Mal hesitated. Evie frowned, watching the look of utter torment on her friend's face, like she was conflicted and being torn apart from the inside. It was a look Evie had never seen on Mal's face before, one she didn't ever think possible. Mal had always been confident and sure in everything she did. What could have happened to make her doubt herself?

"You can do it, Mal," Evie whispered, wishing with all her might that Mal would believe in herself as she always had. "Come on. I know you can. What are you waiting for?"

Evie watched as Ben beseeched Mal, pleading with her not to carry out her plan. Evie shook her head, unable to understand why Mal would even bother listening to the Prince. There was no purpose for it. She had the wand all she had to do was activate it!

 _Mal, you need to do this fast. Don't give them a chance to beat you_ , Evie thought desperately, her excitement shifting to anxiousness. Mal had to do something soon, before the heroes got the wand from her. If they did it was all over, they would never be free! Evie could feel their chance slipping away like sand through the hourglass.

Around her, the remaining adults began to get restless, spitting words of betray and traitors. Evie scowled at them, anger bubbling inside her at their doubts in her friend. Mal was just nervous. She had so much weighed on her shoulders - her mother's legacy and expectations, the freedom of the villains as well as her own, and the consquences should she fail - of course, she would be hesitant.

And then Mal began to speak and her words started to shake Evie's world at its very foundations.

 _"I wanna listen to my heart too," Mal said passionately, clutching onto the wand for dear life. "And my heart is telling me we are_ not  _our parents."_

Evie shook her head, disbelief churning her stomach and ripping the air from her lungs. Stunned, she listened as Mal, through tear-filled eyes, told the crowds that being evil didn't make her happy, that it didn't make Jay or Carlos happy either. She listened as Mal declared that she wanted to go to school and that she wanted to be with Ben, that he made her happy. Evie watched, her heart aching as Mal and Jay renounced evil and placed their hands over each others, united as one, no longer a force of evil but one for good.

 _"So just to be clear we don't have to worry about how mad our parents are going to be? Because they're going to be really, really mad,"_   _Carlos said nervously, hesitating in joining his friend's declaration._

_"Your parents can't reach you here," Prince Ben promised._

"You really wanna bet, Carlos!" Cruella shrieked, her popcorn smashing and scattering against the screen.

_"Okay then," Carlos said, and he too placed his hand on the other VKs._

_With a nod of her head, Mal brought Ben forward and the moment his hand fell upon the villain children's hands, the crowds erupted into applaus, smiles beaming all around._

No longer was Evie smiling, no longer did she feel... anything. She felt numb, her eyes unable to do anything but watch the scene unfolding before her. It was like she was an outsider. A stranger intruding on an intimate moment between three loyal friends. They stood side by side, smiling and laughing and it was their laughter, light and free and more joyful than Evie had ever heard them, that broke her from her trance.

This was really happening. This wasn't a dream or a delusion.

They had  _betrayed_ her.

They had  _abandoned_  her.

They had  _forgotten_ all about her.

Evie felt her legs go weak and she dropped down into the lumpy couch's armrest. She didn't blink as she watched her former friends take on Maleficent. She didn't move as her mother, Jafar and Cruella De Vil leapt to their feet in outrage, curses and snarls on their lip as the children challenged and fought their most powerful comrade. She didn't utter a noise as Mal's words, loud and strong, cut through the air, finishing her mother off with a flash of green eyes and destroying any hope for Evie that she - or any of her fellow VKs - would ever get off this despicable isle. Her words were as damning as the click of a lock, the splash of the key as it fell into the dark ocean, and the bolt of a door being slammed shut.

_"The strength of evil is as good as none when stands before three hearts as one!"_

One spell, sixteen words, one missing friend and everything that should have been was changed. In another timeline, four hearts would have stood as one, friends forever, no matter the hardship... but not here, not in this twisted, meddled with fate.

And all it took was one little change.

While three hearts soared with freedom, the heart of the one left behind...  _shattered_.

* * *

"Those back-stabbing, little brats!" Jafar snarled.

"He left me for a dog! A dog! That runt left me for a dog!" Cruella shrieked, grabbing hold of the TV and shaking it violently. "You spoiled, mutt loving traitor! I raised you!"

"This is not good," The Evil Queen muttered quietly to her daughter.

Evie couldn't bring herself to look away from the now static screen, still breathless by everything that had happened.

Evie shut her eyes, trying to hold back her tears but it did not stop them from slithering down her rosy cheeks. She wanted to cry and to scream and shout and curse! She wanted the pain in her chest to cease. She wanted Mal, Jay and Carlos to come back to The Isle, to laugh and tell her that it was all a ploy, all part of the master plan to free them all. 

But she knew it wasn't. They really had betrayed her.

Evie felt rage swell in her chest and her body trembled with its might.

They were supposed to be  _friends_ , friends till the bitter end, no matter what their parents said. They had fought side by side, laughed, confided and looked out for each other. While they were gone she had fought tooth and nail to protect the VK turf, to make sure they had something to come back to should they fail and to protect their fellow teammates who were left behind. Faction politics on The Isle was something Evie had wanted no part in yet for them she had thrown herself in to it, despite the dangers.

And yet all this time, while she had risked her life and safety and did her best to show that Mal's trust in making her the leader had been well placed,  _they_  had been slowly turning against her and everything they stood for.  _They_  had let Auradon get to them.  _They_  had turned... good.

It made Evie's heart wrench and brought a fresh wave of burning tears to her eyes.

Oh, how bitter it was to have her faith so mercilessly crushed. Now she knew better than to believe in fairytales. Everyone had warned her that this would happen and she had been too blind to see it. Stars above, she  _hated_  herself at that moment. She felt so foolish, so naive. How could she have been so stupid? Her mother had always told her that everyone only cared about themselves, that friends had no place in smart peoples lives. She should have listened to her mother from the start and saved herself this wretched pain.

"Now what are we going to do?" Cruella cried, flopping down onto a worn-out sofa. "We'll never get off this blasted Isle! And I'll never get my hands on those puppies!"

"Who cares about your puppies?" Jafar scoffed. "I'm never going to get revenge on Aladdin and Jasmine now!"

"Revenge is the least of your worries!" The Evil Queen snapped coldly, her cape flaring around her as she turned to face her fellow adults. "Do you realise how much danger you're all in? Your children have put targets on your backs! Everyone will turn on you! Parents of traitors, that's what you are!"

Jafar and Cruella looked to The Evil Queen, both startled. Neither had thought of the implications for them now that their children had turned good, so caught up in their rage at being betrayed. Now they both looked alarmed, their breaths becoming less ragged as they tried to control their anger to let them think straight. The Isle would not be forgiving to anyone associated with traitors.

"We never should have sent them there," Cruella huffed, crossing her arms.

"We need to come up with a plan. We need to-"

The Evil Queen cut Jafar off with a bitter laugh. "We? Whose we? Your children may have left you for the wolves to devour but  _mine_  has been a faithful student of evil. No one will turn on me, not if they like living."

"We're a team!" Jafar said hotly, narrowing his eyes.

"There's no team in I," The Evil Queen quipped with a smirk. "Look what your terrible parenting skills have resulted in. I want nothing to do with your failings. You two are on your own. Come along, Evie."

Evie let her mother take her by the arm and together they left Bargain Castle without a glance back.

* * *

Evie returned to The Castle Beyond The Way with her mother but did not stay there for long. Mal, Jay and Carlos may have turned their backs on the VKs, but she hadn't. Her mother was right when she said that Mal and the others had painted a target on their parents back, but it wasn't only their parents who were on the firing range now. Anyone who was a member of the VKs was in danger. They would all be seen as traitors or back-stabbers in the making. She had to get to them quickly and think up a plan to keep them all safe.

Faciller's Shop was their second base and it was where everyone was to go in the event that they were unable to go to Bargain Castle. Considering what had just happened on live TV, none of the VKs would go their main base. It was now marked as the home of a traitor. As quickly as she could, trying her hardest not to draw unwanted attention to herself, Evie made her way to Freddie's father's shop, near the edge of town. As she approached it, she noticed Freddie watching her through a crack in the curtains.

 _'Hurry up!'_  Freddie mouthed, gesturing for her to get into the shop. As soon as Evie was in Freddie slammed the door shut and latched it. "What in the spirits names are you doing outside? Do you realise how lucky you are to have made it here alive?"

"The streets are pretty empty at the moment," Evie said breathlessly.

"At the moment," Freddie snapped. "Just wait until they snap out their stupor! There will be hell to pay!"

"I can't believe this is happening," Evie whispered, flopping down to the floor, her back against the counter. She placed her head in her hands, her fingers burying into her hair. "How could they do this to us?"

"Beleive it," Freddie muttered darkly. "I knew they'd turncoat!"

Evie glanced over to Freddie, her eyes searing with pain. Although she had never outright said it, Evie knew Freddie had her doubts in regards to whether or not their leader and fellow VKs would follow through with releasing them. And now her suspicions had been proven right. Evie could see how furious Freddie was, the emotion as plain as day on her face and in her voice. 

"I don't know what we're going to do now, Freddie," Evie mumbled. "Everyones gonna turn on us. They're going to think-"

Rapid banging on the door caused both girls to jump. Freddie cautiously approached the door and peeked through the window.

"Who is it?" Evie asked warily.

Freddie unlocked the door and threw it open. Zevon tumbled in and fell face first onto the floor, the rest of the VKs pouring in after him, practically stomping over his fallen form. Freddie winced before helping the trampled boy to his feet and locking the door.

Evie glanced around at her team, her heart sinking as she saw their state. Some of them were dishevelled, covered in fresh bruises, cuts and splattered food. They all looked out of breath and they were clearly as anxious as she felt.

"I take it the news has spread," Freddie said dryly, crossing her arms. "Great."

"News? What news?" Zevon asked as he dusted off his jacket, sounding irritable. "Can anyone explain to me what going on? Me and the other VKs were minding our own business at Frollo's place and the next thing an angry mob descended on us! Calling us traitors! Throwing food, drinks and anything else they could get their grubby little hands on. What is going on?"

"You haven't heard yet?" Freddie asked.

"Heard what?" Zevon asked exasperated, tossing his arms into the air.

"Mal... Jay... and Carlos... have turned their backs on evil," Evie whispered, each word like a dagger to her heart. Everyone turned to their leader, unsettled to see her slumped on the floor, looking miserable and defeated. "They betrayed us, on live TV, the whole Isle has seen it. That's why... they went for you. And that's why... we're all in very... big... trouble."

Everyone fell into silence, grimly taking in the news. They all knew what this meant for them, the consequences that they would face. They would be hated and ridiculed by everyone. Other factions - even allies - would turn against them. They may even team up to eliminate them for good, and after seeing it happen to The Ghouls, they knew it was something terrifyingly within the realms of possibility. Their turf would be taken, along with their livelihoods and safety.

"What are we going to do?" Zevon muttered.

"What can we do?" Freddie scoffed. "We've been branded as goody toe shoes in the making! VK is now synonymous with good."

"Well, we have to do something!" Zevon snapped.

"Oh, do you have a plan, llama boy?" Freddie retorted snidely. "Care to share it with the class?"

Zevon growled and Freddie was all too happy to snap back. Other VKs began bickering, everyone shouting louder and louder, determined to be heard. Eventually, nothing could be heard over the arguing. Nerves and tempers were running far too high. 

Evie winced, closed her eyes and coved her ears, trying desperately to drown out all the noise. She needed to think! To think of a plan to get them out of this mess. To think over what Mal, Jay and Carlos had done. To think about what she was going to do now. But she couldn't... not with all this damn noise!

"ENOUGH!" Evie screamed, jumping to her feet.

Everyone fell silent, their eyes landing on their leader. It unnerved them to see her looking so unsettled, when Evie always looked perfect and prim, not a hair out of place. The others betrayal had hit her hard, and they could see it in her tear ridden eyes, her rumpled clothes, tousled hair and heaving chest. She was hurting, badly.

"I need... to think," Evie sighed, running a hand through her hair. "And I can't do that with everyone fighting. I know you are all worried and you have every right to be but we can't appear weak. Not right now. Not with everyone watching us. One wrong move and we're done for."

Evie paced around the room, her heels clicking loudly off the laminate flooring.

"I want everyone to return home and stay indoors. Being with our parents is our best protection against other children and teenagers," Evie said, coming to a stop at the window. "I'm going to try and come up with a plan. We'll meet here in three days. Can everyone hold out until then?"

There was a pause before everyone nodded and confirmed that they would be fine for the three days. 

"Avoid going out at all costs and if you must do not go out alone," Evie continued. "And no matter what anyone says to you remember that we're rotten-"

"- to the core!" the others chimed in as one.

* * *

Evie knew that she should have gone straight back to her mother's castle after she sent the other VKs home, but she couldn't. She needed air and space to breath and going back to the castle would only have suffocated her. Her mother was no doubt ranting up a storm in there, and she didn't want to endure her mother's _told you so_  lecture when she returned.

And so that was how Evie found herself sitting on the beach, eyes focused on the gleaming brightness of Auradon across the waters.

Mal, Jay and Carlos were over there, frolicking around in paradise while she was left in to wither away in the hunger game hells. What could have made them turn against her and everything they believed in? How could they let Auradon and those good for nothing heroes pollute their minds? What had happened to them during their time in Auradon? Apart of Evie wished she knew what they had left her for while another part spitefully and viciously rejected it, not caring what their excuse was.

Evie bit her lip so hard it drew blood.

She hated them. She hated them so much. They knew how much she despised living here and yet they had left her here to fend for herself, knowing full well what their actions would mean for her and her fellow VKs. It grated on her nerves to the point of sickness, knowing that everything she had fought for the past few months - protecting the VK territory, it's reputation and keeping its members safe - now meant  _nothing_. It was going to all be taken away. Everyone was going to go against them, she knew it, and they would not be able to keep their turf. The VKs were about to be eradicated from The Isle factions. Permanently.

Mal how could you do this to us? Evie wondered.

Out of all the VKs, Mal's betrayal was the one that hurt most. She may have been friends with Carlos the longest, but it was Mal who had given her a family and protection in the form of the VKs and introduced her to some of her dearest friends - Jay, Freddie, Dizzy and even Zevon. Before the VKs Evie had always been alone, but not when she was brought into the fold.

Yet now, Mal was taking it all away from her. Mal was the first of the VKs to turn to good. It was her who ultimately convinced Jay and Carlos to switch sides. It was Mal who led to the VKs being hated which in turn would lead to their destruction. It was Mal who had stolen  _her_  dream of having the fairytale life with a handsome prince, beautiful castle and gorgeous gowns. To think of all those years that Mal had looked down on the idea of being a prissy, pink princess and yet here she was, the exact thing she had sworn to loathe?

"I hate you all," Evie muttered darkly, wiping away the tears streaking down her cheeks.

"Is it really a good idea you being outside right now, Evie?"

Evie went rigid at the sound of his voice. She should have seen it coming, it had been so long since he had last sprung up on her.

Hayden. He was standing a few feet away, hands in his pocket, hair once again its normal, neon blue colour. 

Like Freddie and Zevon, he had been sure that her friends would leave her here, so sure that they would stay in Auradon. How could he have seen it, when she had not? How did a  _stranger_ know so much more about her friends that she did?

Evie clenched her hands into fists, her chest aching with the burn of betrayal. She was angry, so very angry and it was an emotion she was never sure how to deal with as she seldom allowed her temper to get the better of her. But now, now it was overwhelming her and making her blood boil. All the affection she had held for her friends had gone up in smoke, leaving only smouldering embers that served as nothing but spite provoking reminders of what had once been.

"What do you want, Hayden?" Evie snapped harshly. "If you're here to gloat get it over with."

 _Go on,_  she thought,  _rub it in how you were right and I was wrong._

She knew Hayden had to be loving this right now. After all the trouble she had given him and now here she was, her pedestal crumbling and world crashing around her. What perfect revenge for him and he hadn't even had to lift a finger. This was all her doing, for trusting the wrong people. Foolish,  _foolish_ , little girl!

"I'm not here to gloat," Hayden said softly, no trace of mockery in his voice or on his face. He looked sombre, not even a flicker of his grin or smirk anywhere to be found. "I'm here as a friend."

"Friend?" Evie laughed harshly. "We are not friends!"

And she certainly didn't want to ever have another so-called friend. Not after this.

"Don't let them ruin friendship for you, Evie," Hayden said, as though hearing her thoughts. "It's a pretty dull life without it, trust me."

"I'm a villain. I don't need friendship!"

"I bet that's your mother speaking and not you. You don't believe friendship is a waste, you never have. You're just hurt and angry right now." Hayden spoke calmly, carefully approaching her. "Mal, Jay and Carlos weren't good friends, but you Evie, your living proof that having friends are worth it. You're loyal to those you care for, you protect them, your help them-"

"You don't know anything about me! Stop lying!" Evie shouted as she rose to her feet, hating his pretty little lies and games.

"I'm not lying," Hayden said firmly. "You want to know what I've seen over our encounters? I saw a girl brave the Gates of Tartarus and a labyrinth filled with monsters - twice - so that she could find a way to protect her friend's turf, so those under her charge wouldn't suffer. I've seen a girl willing to get thrown into a cave lake filled with serpents to keep two of her friends safe - even if one wasn't worthy of it. I saw a girl cunning enough to trick a demigod. A girl smart and humble enough to bring together hated enemies to protect her team."

Evie fell quiet at his passionate speech, suddenly finding it hard to swallow. He spoke with conviction, leaving no room for doubt that he didn't believe what he was saying.

"They didn't deserve you, Evie. They were fools for leaving you behind."

Hayden gently took hold of her upper arms and pulled her into a hug. Evie was so bewildered by the gesture that she stood there speechless. She wasn't proud of herself for feeling so weak but she moved her hands to his chest and curled her fingers into his jacket tightly. Hayden placed a hand at the back of her head and pulled her closer, resting his head atop of hers. He kept her hidden as she cried.

Instinctively, Evie wanted to rebel against his comfort. They were enemies, she didn't need his pity. She felt weak, weak,  _weak_. Yet still, it felt almost natural to be held by him and something told her that he wouldn't use this against her, that this was between them and no one else. She didn't know where this instinctive trust for him came from, but she was too drained from everything to question it.

"I trusted them," Evie murmured.

"I know."

Hayden tightened his grip on her, one hand soothing her back.

"It's okay, Evie. I'm here for you."

The others had said that to her once... and now look where they were. Evie sobered up at the thought and she pulled away, narrowing her eyes. Hayden felt her withdrawing - physically and emotionally - and he shook his head, reaching out for her.

"Evie, wait-"

She pulled herself free from his grasp and bolted down the beach, back towards town, taking refuge in the alleys, away from the crowds. She kept moving, darting from alley to alley, street to street. She needed to get away, get away from Hayden and the confusion he always brought with him. They were enemies, damn it! He shouldn't be comforting her! It could only be tricks and lies no matter what her instincts told her.

In her rush to get away, she took an accidental turn down the wrong street. It was a dead end. Her heart jolted when she turned around and saw someone blocking the only exit. It was not a friendly face.

It was Sylvester, Captain Long John Silver's son.

The boy was seventeen years old, with jet black hair and one silver streak coursing through it. He was dressed in typical pirate fashion, a white poet's shirt with a dark brown vest buttoned up, black, ripped trousers and leather, knee-high boots pulled over them.

"Hi, Silver, long time no see," Evie said warily. The last time she had seen Sylvester had been when Mal and Jay left him tied upside down to the mast of his ship. "Mind if I pass? You're sorta in the way."

Two more pirates entered the alley, leaving no space to slip out.

"I'll take that as a no," Evie mumbled, letting out a sigh.

"You're bold as brass, ain't ye, little traitor?" Sylvester said, his voice coarse and gritty. "Wandering around the streets without a care in the world? Did you think there wouldn't be retribution for what you and your friends have done?"

"I had nothing to do with that," Evie gritted out, knowing full well he was referring to the coronation. "None of the VKs did! What Mal, Jay and Carlos did they did by themselves!"

"I don't believe that for a second," Sylvester tutted. "Besides, I have plenty of other reasons to seek vengeance against the likes of you. Now, you're going to come with us back to Goblin Wharf. Quite a few people there are eager to see you - and the rest of your pitiful squad."

"I don't think so," Evie replied quietly, taking a step back for every step they took closer.

There was nowhere for her to go, a high wall stopping her from escaping. One of Silver's buddies made a grab for her but she ducked under his arms and ran, only for the other one to grab her arm and yank her back, hard. Evie screamed and kicked out, thrashing wildly in his grip as the other pirate took hold of her other arm.

"Let me go!" Evie shouted, snarling and hissing, not caring how un-lady like she appeared.

"Not a chance in-"

"Let. Her. Go!" Another voice, one very familiar to Evie, cut Silver off. The three pirates glanced back to the alleyway entrance, noticing the dark silhouette of a young man standing there, arms crossed and hood pulled over his head. "And no one gets hurt -  _too_  badly."

"And who are you?" Silver asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"Hayden, son of Hades and Prince of The Underworld," the demigod replied as he stepped into the light. He smirked at the pirates and titled his head, sizing them up. "Now let her go."

"Nu-uh," Silver said triumphantly, shaking his head. "You can't. You promised not to interfere with Upsider's business. That was the deal if you and your spooks failed to beat the Upsiders in a fight."

"Wrong," Hayden drawled. "The deal was I wouldn't intervene in Upsider's business so long as  _Evie_  didn't want me to. Princess, how do you feel about me meddling in Upsider's affairs now?"

Had Hayden asked her that this morning, she would have scoffed and rolled her eyes at the absurdity of it. But that was then and this was now. Within the space of a few minutes, one spell uttered by Mal had changed everything. Evie was no longer considered apart of The Isle - none of her team was - they were outcasts, unwanted and enemies. What did it matter to her if Hayden wanted the uplands for himself? There was little chance of her saving what land the VKs held, now that their reputation was in ruins. Why not give her fellow Upsider's a little trouble for all the trouble they were - and were going - to give her and her team? And what better trouble could there be than Hayden?

"By all means, Hayden. Feel free too," Evie said, her eyes never leaving his.

Hayden's smile was dark sinister. He clicked his fingers and from the shadows behind the pirates, his Ghouls appeared. Evie was as startled as the pirates at the ghostly appearance of Hayden's minions, unnerved to know that the Ghouls had had to have been there to pull off that trick, meaning they had been there, watching unnoticed the whole time. They were all wearing devious smirks, their dark eyes glinting with the prospect of a fight.

"You want a fight then a fight you'll get, you blueberry reject!" Silver yelled, pulling out a dagger from his boot.

The pirates shoved Evie away so they could defend themselves. Evie fell to the ground, whacking her head off the concrete. She heard Hayden shout her name, sounding alarmed and furious. Through her blurring vision, she saw three Ghouls battling it out with the pirates before a pair of black, spikey boots blocked the fight from view.

"It's alright, Evie," Hayden hushed her, gently taking her into his arms like a bride. "You're safe with me."

The last thing she saw before her world went blank, was Hayden's amber eyes, glowing brightly in the dark alley. The pained cries of the pirate faded away into nothing.

* * *

When Evie came to see was lying on a large bean bag with elongated skulls painted onto it, a thick, neon blue quilt draped over her. She was feeling too fragile and light-headed to sit up, but a quick glance told her she was in some kind of warehouse, the only lights coming from fairy lights which were strung across massive, steel pallet racks lined throughout the large storage space.

"And the princess awakes from her slumber," Hayden said gently, sitting down beside her on the bean bag. "How are you feeling?"

"Terrible," Evie groaned, wincing as she touched an aching spot on her head. "What happened?"

"You banged your head when the pirates pushed you away," Hayden said, his eyes narrowing darkly. "And don't worry about them, they won't be crossing you ever again."

"Why? Why did you help me Hayden? Why do you keep helping me?" Evie asked quietly. "I don't get it. You don't help enemies. I've caused nothing but bother for you. I tried to sneak into your base. I wrecked your plans for taking over The Isle. I dyed your hair pink!"

"I thought it was magenta?" Hayden replied dryly, quirking an eyebrow.

Evie couldn't help the smile that slipped onto her face. Hayden's eyes softened, a smile of his own teasing his lips. He reached out, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear. something that was becoming a bit of a habit of his.

"You know why, surely?" Hayden said softly. "I've told you before. I like you. A lot."

Evie wanted to believe him, wanted to believe that she truly had someone she could rely on to be there for her. But Mal and the other's betrayal was still too raw, leaving her suspicious and anxious. Hayden seemed to understand this, nothing but sympathy in his eyes.

"I meant what I said Evie," Hayden whispered. "I won't leave you, ever. If you just give me a chance to prove it."

"And how can you do that?" Evie asked. "It doesn't matter how many times you save me, comfort me or help me. It could all be a trick."

"I can prove it with this," Hayden said, pulling out a pomegranate from his jacket. "You never eat the last one I gave you. All it'll take is one bite, Evie. One bite and I give you my word that you will understand everything. You'll know what your dreams are trying to tell you. You'll know why it is that I'm not lying when I say I'm here for you, that I like you. One bite... and you'll remember what it is that you've forgotten."

Evie reached out and took the fruit.

"If this is poison, Hayden... and I die... I swear I will haunt you for all eternity," Evie said with a glare.

Hayden smiled and took the fruit back from her, splitting it in half with his fingers. He took one piece and gave Evie back the other. He bit into his slice, taking a few moments to prove that it indeed wasn't poisoned. Once convinced, Evie brought the fruit up to her lips. She bit into it, swallowing and savouring its sweetness.

And then she remembered... everything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (A/N) Why Ben never invited Evie will be explained in a future chapter. In the next chapter, we get to find out about the connection between Evie and Hayden, and what it is that Evie has forgotten. It's a wee bit dark at the start but there is loooots of fluff. Plus we're finally going to get to see Evie and Hayden becoming closer. 
> 
> Easter Eggs: 
> 
> The title's chapter 'Change the fates design' is a reference to The Healing Song in Tangled. 
> 
> "There is no team in I," is a reference to Descendants 1, said by Jay to his father.
> 
> The warehouse with the skull bean bag is the one in Chris Villain's music video 'Descendants 3 unofficial First Look - Make it Hot (Chris Villain).'


	9. Bring Back What Once Was Mine...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: This starts off quite dark. Temporary major character death (who happens to be a child at the time.)

_Nine years ago..._

It was an accident. A silly mistake. Her mother had warned her not to touch the apples on the window sill, but Evie - nine years old and filled with curiosity and hunger - ignored her mother's warning. All it took was one bite... and she was dead. Her thread of life had been snipped.

* * *

Deep in The Underworld, a place of darkness, death, stone and bones, two demons found themselves scurrying about the banks of The River Styx. They frantically searched every nook and cranny of the underground cavern, searching desperately for what they had lost.

"Oh, my Gods! Where is he? Where  _is_  he?" one of the demons whispered fervently. He was a scrawny little thing, with pale mint coloured skin, long pointed ears, a fork-tipped tail and tiny, bat-like wings. He flitted about like a jittery hummingbird, anxious adrenaline tittering him on the edge of a nervous breakdown.

"Will you shut up, Panic! You're getting me... well... panicked!"

The second of the demons was similar to the first, but instead of being tall and lanky, he was short and plump with reddish skin. Unlike his fittingly named companion Panic, this demon was known as Pain, not because of the pain he could inflict - which truthfully was very little - but due to his unfortunate danger proneness that brought a world of daily hurt upon himself. He was more relaxed than Panic, but no less afraid of the consequences that would befall them should they anger Hades again.

"Hades is gonna kill us when he finds out we lost Hayden again!" Panic worried, twisting his clawed fingers.

"You mean  _if_... he finds out," Pain pointed out.

"What do you mean if he finds out? Of course, he's gonna find-" Panic stilled, smiling eagerly like the rays of salvation had just dawned on him. "If... if is good. I can work with-"

In his excitement, Panic whirled around, accidentally bumping into Pain and sending the demon tumbling off the pile of bones they had been standing on. Pain let out a yelp, wincing and crying out with every bump he took until he reached the river bank, bones scattered all around him. Panic cringed, peering down at his fallen comrade. By the time he reached Pain his opinion on the matter had changed - his mind racing through all the possibilities that could befall them and doing nothing to soothe his fears.

"Oh, who are we kidding? We can't work with if! If we don't want something to happen it always happens! We have to find the kid and we have to find him now! Before Hades gets back from his meeting with Hermes!"

"He has to be around here somewhere!" Pain groaned, dragging himself onto his feet. "Not like he knows the way out."

Hiding behind a broken pillar, Hayden - only nine year olds and already as devious as he was mischevious - watched as the demons clambered out of sight. Absentemidnly, he reached for his ear, feeling for the white lily that his mother had dotingly placed there earlier in the day before she busied herself with her godly obligations. Hayden tiptoed from his hiding place and stood beside the river, letting out a sigh of relief.

Pain and Panic had been told to play babysitter for him - as usual - and although he was fond of the demons they were terribly boring. Panic wouldn't let him do anything fun, too worried he might hurt himself. The moment he so much as moved the little demon was fretting over him, taking his temperature and checking for injuries. Pain, although not as worrisome as his companion, was just as bad. He was as strict as he was dull, refusing to play any games other than Scrabble - the safest game he could think of which would lead to zero pain for himself.

Hayden flopped down by the river, it's ethereal green glow bathing his pale skin and softening his features.

It was boring playing by himself all the time, with no one his own age to play games and talk to. The only other 'living' creatures down here were his parents (who were busy with adult things like ruling The Underworld), his father's monsters (who did  _not_  make good playmates as they were more intent on eating him), and The Fates (who were weird and never had time for so-called silly, childish games). The Ferryman occasionally indulged him in a few board games, but he was usually far to busy with ferrying the dead. The only real enjoyment Hayden got was when he slipped away from Pain and Panic and got to watch them tare apart The Underworld looking for him. It was even funnier seeing his father explode at them, his blue body engulfed in flames and eyes glowing a fiery red!

With a sigh, Hayden tossed a pebble into the river, watching the ghoulish spirits floating through its waters as they travelled to their judgement.

"What I wouldn't give for a friend," Hayden whispered.

It was an all too familiar prayer that had left Hayden's lips countless times, whenever that pit of loneliness threatened to consume him. What the child hadn't known was that his prayer had not gone unheard, for high up on Mount Olympus... someone had heard every single time he had whispered those words, aloud and unspoken. And this time, his prayer would not go unanswered.

Somehow, impossibly so, The Anemoi's winds reached the vast deepness of The Underworld for the first time. Hayden shivered, startled by the strange sensation of the cold air brushing against him and musing his hair. The lily in his hair dislodged and fluttered away, causing the boy to gasp as he jumped into the air, trying to grasp it. The flower wafted out of reach before floating down onto The River Styx, a few feet away from him.

"No!" Hayden cried.

He fell to his knees and reached into the river to retrieve the flower. Instantly, he regretted it. The river was so cold it burned, searing his flesh. Hayden sharply withdrew his hands, letting out a horrified sob at the pain and sight of his hands having withered and wrinkled. As he had only touched the enchanted waters briefly, his hands quickly returned to their former smoothness and youth.

His father had warned him about the seven rivers that ran through his kingdom and the dangers they brought. Each one represented an important emotional aspect of death, and their waters had capabilities that reflected these feelings. The River Lethe was the river of forgetfulness and its water would fog and block one's memory the longer they remained in contact with it. Acheron, the river of pain, caused immense physical suffering. The River Cocytus was known as the river of wailing, and should anyone touch its water they would be filled with a grief so dire that cries would be pried from their lips and tears from their eyes.

The River Styx was no different. It was the most dominant of all the rivers, protectively encircling The Underworld seven times. It was the main passage for the dead and thus drew its power from that. Anyone who touched it would begin to rapidly age until they too joined the undead of the river. Only Gods could survive it. And a God Hayden was not - not until he earned it.

Hayden watched bitterly as the flower drifting down the river, just out of reach.

That's when he saw her.

A young girl - who looked to be the same age as him - gliding silently through the waters. Like most of the other spirits, the waters had lulled her to sleep, easing her passage. Seldom were any of the spirits were awake for this part of their journey, only those who felt cheated of life still clung to their consciousness, desperately searching for a means of escape or retribution to those responsible for their demise.

The lily hovered above the girl, following her slowly down the river like a gentle guardian.

There was something about the girl... something... strange. She looked no different from any of the other spirits, her spirit like a green wisp, translucent and glowing. Yet something about her tugged at his very soul, something far beyond his comprehension at such a tender age.

Before he realised what he was doing - as though walking through a dream, unable to stop himself - Hayden was moving, following the girl down the river. He spotted a stone slab jutting out of the river bank, hanging over the waters, and he instantly stumbled over to it. Instead of grabbing the lily, he snatched the girl's wrist. With a heave and a grunt, he pulled her through the river, wincing when water splashed on his arms and face, burning him. Restless spirits watched with wide, unfeeling eyes and began drifting towards him, arms outstretched and grim wails on their lips. Hayden pulled with all his might, shouting at the spirits to let the girl go as they tried to grab her - for it they could not escape, why should anyone else? It took all his strength but finally, he pulled the young spirit from the waters, safely out of reach from the dark spirits clamouring among the slumbering souls.

He didn't know what had possessed him to do it, it was something that he knew was strictly forbidden, something that could only end with his father's wrath and punishments. When he looked back on this moment, he would put it down to a whim prompted by a desire to finally have a friend his age, someone he could laugh with, play with and confide in. Never would he have guessed that the agents of fate were orchestrating it all to grant him his most heartfelt wish.

Hayden panted, breathless from the strain of freeing the girl from the river. Spirits or not, the restless were stronger than one would imagine. It was always best to stay clear of the waters - even his father sometimes had a difficult time dealing with them. Biting his lip, Hayden glanced down at the spirit he had saved. She was rather pretty, wearing a frilly dress fit for a princess, a tiara adorning her head. He wondered who she was and how she came to be here at so young an age?

"Hey there, can you hear me?" Hayden whispered, timidly tapping her nose. "I'm-"

"Hayden! There you are! What have I told you about running away from-"

Hayden's heart jolted, realizing just how much trouble he was going to be in. He jumped to his feet and turned to find his mother standing behind him, a hand covering her mouth as she stared at her son in shock.

Persephone was a woman of great beauty, her skin the colour of freshly blossomed violets. She wore an intricate, white dress of the finest silks, gleaming golden flowers and vines stitched throughout it. Upon her head was a crown of pink flowers, that stood out vibrantly against her hair which fell behind her knees in waves of gold. Everywhere she walked a trail of small flowers blossomed - but down in The Underworld those flowers were quick to wilt.

"Hayden... what are you doing?" Persephone asked, her voice as sweet as it was soft.

"Mother! I can explain!" Hayden said quickly. "I just... I just wanted a friend to play with. And I thought-"

"You can't remove spirits from the river, Hayden," Persephone cut in gently, kneeling down to place her hands on her son's shoulders. "It's forbidden, you know that. Once people have died they need to move on."

"But... she's just a child, like me. Please, mother, don't make me put her back. Just let me keep this one, please!"

Persephone's heart ached at the sight of her son looking so distraught, so desperate for a friend. She knew he was lonely down in The Underworld - oh, it was a feeling she knew far too well. She was never one to deny her son, and so, with a flick of her hand, she summoned her husband. In a blaze of blue flames, Hades appeared, ill-tempered as always to be summoned - something he felt was beneath him.

"And just who do you think you are summoning-" Hade's heated threat dyed on his lips when he realised it was his wife who had summoned him. Instantly, the flames engulfing his body cooled down and a forced smile graced his face. "Persephone - Honey - there you are! How can I help you?"

"Hayden wants a friend," Persephone said, getting straight to the point. "And he's chosen this girl."

"What girl?" Hades frowned and glanced down, noticing the soul lying by his son's feet. His eye's widened and an irritable scowl appeared on his face. "A spirit? You let him pull a spirit from the river?"

"I did no such thing, he pulled her out himself," Persephone said, crossing her arms. "He's lonely, Hades. He would like to keep her as a friend. That's alright, isn't it?"

"Eh, no, it's not," Hades said, shaking his head in disbelief, bewildered by the very notion. "She's a spirit, he can't play with a spirit! I'd need to bring her back to life for him to be able to do that! Which, may I remind you is against the rules! And I can't bend the rules, no matter who asks me - and trust me,  _plenty_  of people have begged and prayed for it since the creation of man."

"Let me rephrase that, I wasn't asking your permission," Persephone said sharply, giving her husband a scathing glare. "Hayden wants to keep her as a friend and I'm letting him. Don't give me that look, Hades. You're the one who insists he stays down here, you won't even let him come to The Land of the Living while I'm away in the Summer and Spring. He hadn't had a chance to interact with children his own age - he needs this."

Hades looked ready to retort but his wife cut him off pointedly.

"You owe me this, at the very least."

"Please, Father, I promise I'll take good care of her!" Hayden chimed in pleadingly.

"Hayden, dear, she isn't a puppy," Persephone said softly. "Hades, just let him-"

"No! I forbid it!" Hades snapped, the flames of body flaring dangerously. "I can't just bring people back from the dead willy-nilly! There is a natural order to things. Once you die you stay dead, you move and that's it."

"But-" Hayden began.

"Ah, ah, ah, ah!" Hades cut in, raising a finger to silence his son. "I don't wanna hear it. No one gets brought back to life without my permission."

"But you gave all those villains a second shot at life! Maleficent, Captain Hook, Jafar... why not this girl?" Hayden asked with a frown, his amber eyes glowing brightly - a clear challenge to his father.

Hayden had not been born when the villains had been resurrected, but he was more than aware of the event. To this day it was still the gossip of The Underworld. Resurrections were forbidden, exceptions a rarity of the highest kind. And yet, not only had one villain been brought back, but dozens upon dozens. It was unprecedented to think about!

"Don't you shine those eyes at me, mister!" Hades gritted out, bristling at the reminder of what he had been forced to do. "And as for those idiots, I didn't have a choice! They never should have been brought back!"

"Then why did you?" Hayden asked, tilting his head.

"It was either bring back the villains per Auradon's request or the other Gods turn on me and throw me into Tarturus," Hades muttered, scowling upwards towards The Land of The Living and Olympus.

 _Why would they want villains brought back to life?_  Hayden wondered, thinking the idea silly. Once an enemy was defeated, surely the wisest course of action was to let them stay dead? It seemed dangerous and stupid bringing them back to life and giving them the chance to start all kinds of trouble again. Auradon clearly weren't the brightest bunch.

"What did you do that would make them want to throw you in Tartarus?"

"I did nothing wrong-" Hades started to say indignantly, but his wife wasn't about to let him forget his crimes so easily.

"Kidnapping and attempting to kill his nephew Hercules, overthrowing his brother Zeus, imprisoning the Olympians -  _myself_ , included - unleashing the Titans and reigning havoc on all of Greece which resulted in thousands of mortals injured and dead," Persephone listed off with her fingers. She spoke casually, like she was naming flowers in a garden, but there was a sharp edge to her voice that betrayed her resentment over her husband's transgressions, her glare furthering the point. "Among other things."

Hades winced with every sin. "Oh, give me a break, it was over two thousand years ago!"

"There's also kidnapping and tricking me into staying here," Persephone leaned over to her husband as she spoke, making sure he was the only one who heard. "If you don't let him keep the girl I'll be having a few words with my mother. I'm sure you remember how much she... likes you."

Demeter despised her daughter's husband and had every reason for it. Persephone was her beloved daughter and to have her stolen away from her for six months of every year tormented her so much that the flowers above would wilt, the trees become barren and her grief would coat the Earth in ice and snow. It would remain that way - bitter, cold and harsh - until her daughter was in her arms again, warming her heart and the very lands above, melting away the winter.

How Persephone came to be in The Underworld was rife with controversy. She had been tricked into staying there by Hades who had whisked her away after falling in love with her. He had manipulated her into eating the seeds of a pomegranate, and once someone consumed food from The Underworld, they were never allowed to leave. In Persephone's case, a compromise was made to appease Demeter's wrath upon the world, allowing Persephone to visit the above world for half the year and be with her mother, while she spent the rest of the year in The Underworld with her husband.

Demeter had never forgiven Hades for his what he had done.

Hades cringed at the thought of his mother-in-law. If there was one thing he didn't want a repeat of, it was irking the Goddess of The Harvest again. That was a lesson learned the hard way.

"Please, father," Hayden said, glancing up at him.

"Don't give me those puppy dog eyes! You know I hate the... oh fine!" Hades snapped. "But only this once!"

With a wave of his hand, the girl's body materialised from The Land of The Living. Hayden ran over to his father, wrapping his arms around his knees as he thanked him. Hades rolled his eyes, but there was a fondness in his gaze and touch as he patted his son's head.

"Remember, Hayden, you have to be gentle with her," Persephone said. "It'll be a lot for her to take in."

Hayden nodded, making a promise that he would always make sure the girl was well cared for. So long as he was around, he would always protect her.

* * *

When Evie awoke, she found herself in a bedroom that was not her own. She was lying on a large, canopied bed, in a room carved from stone. Everything was so grey and dark but grand and massive. Evie shivered, pulling the thick blankets up to her chin as she took in her surroundings. Where on The Isle was she?

"And the sleeping princess finally awakes-"

Evie screamed at the sound of a boy's voice beside her. Startled, the boy yelped before he fell off the bed, crashing to the floor. Evie threw aside her blankets and scrambled over to the other side of the room, hiding in the corner. She crouched down, making herself as small as possible, and wrapped her arms protectively around her knees. She eyed the boy as he rose to his feet, rubbing his nose. He was a strange boy, with vibrant blue hair, deathly pale skin and dressed in all black, a grey skull necklace dangling around his neck.

"I was just saying hi," the boy mumbled, clearly off-put. "I'm Hayden. What's your name?"

"I... I..." Evie cleared her throat, finding it dry and raw. "I'm Evie. Where... where am I? Is this... is this a dream?"

"No, this is real," Hayden said, staying where he was behind the bed. He looked cautious, wary of her as she was of him. "This is my home - my room to be exact."

Evie frowned, not understanding how she could have ended up here. What had she been doing before? She had been in the kitchen looking for something to eat. The next thing she knew... darkness. But not before she had felt excoriating pain, so much pain it felt like her insides had been on fire. What had that been? Had she been hurt? Perhaps that was why she was in this unfamiliar place? Her mother must have taken her somewhere to get help.

"Where's my mother?" Evie asked quietly. "Is she here? Is this... the doctors?"

"I don't know if she's here. Who is she?" Hayden asked.

"She's The Evil Queen."

"Evil Queen, Evil Queen." Hayden's brow scrunched as he tried to place the name. "Oh! The Evil Queen... like... Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs? She's still alive if I remember right, so she's not here. Oh! Wait a minute, if you're her daughter that means your from The Isle of The Lost?"

"What do you mean? Are you saying we're not on theIsle anymore?" Evie whispered, disbelieving. She shouldn't be off The Isle, it wasn't possible - her mother had said so. They were all trapped on the island, a magical barrier preventing anyone from leaving. How could she have ended up outside it?

"No, you're not on The Isle. You're in The Underworld," Hayden said softly as he made his way over to her. He knelt down in front of her and reached out, drawing back his hand when Evie flinched. He could see how afraid and confused she was, her eyes were wide open in terror and her body was shivering. "You... died. But I asked my father - Hades - to bring you back to life. Do you know who he is?"

Hades, The God of The Underworld, ruler of the dead. He was one of the more powerful and well known of the Greek Gods. Her mother had told her stories about him and his evil deeds. She claimed to have met him once when he had been brought her back to life after the horrible Snow White, her Prince and the seven dwarfs had led to her death.

Evie stiffed, overcome by a terrifying realization. If she was in The Underworld - the kingdom of the Lord of The Dead - then that meant... she wasn't alive anymore.

"I'm... dead?" Evie asked, tears now streaming down her face. She sniffled, her grip tightening around her knees. "The apple... it was the apple. I shouldn't have eaten it. I didn't think they were..."

Evie began sobbing so harshly that she found herself struggling to breathe. She buried her head into her knees, her whole body shaking with every violent sob. Hayden watched her in alarm, unsure how to comfort her but desperate to do so. He sat down beside her, unsurely placing an arm over her shoulder and tugging her closer to him.

"No, you're not dead anymore! I got you brought back," Hayden explained quickly, eager to ease her fears. "So we could be friends!"

"I'm sorry... but... but I want to go home. I want... my mommy. I... I can't stay here," Evie said between sobs, shaking her head. "I just want to go home!"

Hayden's entire being shuddered at the thought of her leaving. He shook his head, wanting to protest loudly but he stilled himself, not wanting to frighten the girl any more than she already was. _Remember, Hayden, you must be gentle_ , his mother's words whispered in his head. Hayden took in a deep breath and loosed his grip on the girl, afraid he might hurt her.

"This is your home now. You'll like it here, I promise," Hayden said softly, his voice barely above a whisper. "We can have lots of fun! I can show you all of The Underworld - most people never get to see it! I can show you all the different places people get sent to when they pass. I can show you the rivers. Oh! I can introduce you to my pet dog, Cerberus! You'll love her! She's adorable!"

Despite his best efforts, Evie continued to weep.

"Oh, please, don't cry, Evie," Hayden said, finding himself getting upset at the girl's tears.

"Please, just... just leave me... alone," Evie whispered, clenching her eyes shut. "I wanna be alone."

Hayden didn't want to leave her in such distress but he knew she would not relent. She needed time to take everything in. He would just have to be patient.

* * *

Hayden surrendered his room to Evie, not wanting to cause the girl any more distress by moving her into another unfamiliar room. Every day he knocked on her door and tried to coax her out, but she remained hidden behind the door. A few occasions he braved going in, finding Evie buried under the quilts of his bed or sitting in the corner, staring into nothing. She had stopped crying after her third day here and had entered an unsettling silence. Hayden didn't like seeing her so depressed and quiet, and each failed attempt to make her smile only fueled his determination.

Three times a day he brought her food, which had been delivered from the above world. Giving her food from The Underworld would mean she would be stuck down here forever, and that was something he did not want - not when his father was still plotting to take over Olympus. He wanted Evie to go there with him when his father succeeded, and to get the chance to explore all the world above had to offer.

"Evie, do you wanna come out now?" Hayden asked after knocking on her door on the seventh day. "Come on let's go and play. I have lots of things to show you."

Hayden sighed, saddened when no reply came.

"I have something for you," Hayden called out. "I'll leave it by the door."

Hayden placed a beautiful white lily by the door and crept away. When he came back to give her dinner, he found the lily gone. He smiled, seeing it as a good sign. From that day onwards, he left a plant outside her door every morning, always a different kind, ones that were vibrant and bright. He hoped she was surrounding herself with them, brightening up the dark room she was staying in. His room and style had always been quite dark and grim, but Evie didn't seem like the kind of person to like that sort of thing. He imagined she prefered things being colourful, glittery and full of life, and he hoped the flowers that he gave her offered her some sense of comfort.

It was another week before she finally opened the door.

"You know, Evie, if you want I can take you to where I get the flowers," Hayden called out. He was sitting with his back to her door, legs stretched out and his breakfast half-eaten beside him. He liked to do this, eat his meal with her - even if it was with a door between them and her silence as his only reply. "They come from my mother's garden. It's amazing! There are millions upon millions of flowers there, all different shapes, colours and sizes! I think you'd like it there. There's even a waterfall with fish! Real fish, not like the skeleton ones in the rivers."

Hayden took a bite out of his sandwich, contently munching away.

His back slowly fell backwards as the door began to open. Hayden glanced up, noticing Evie peeking out from the crack, watching him cautiously. She looked so timid and afraid, like a scared rabbit ready to sprint at the first sign of danger. Hayden leapt to his feet, brushing off the crumbs from his clothes.

"Would you like to go there?" he asked, smiling gently.

Evie nodded, her hands clutching onto the door tightly.

"Then come with me," Hayden said, offering her his hand.

After a moment's hesitation, she took it. Hayden's smile lit up the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since I had to split this chapter into two parts, not everything I wanted to reveal has been revealed. The next chapter we'll find out why it was Hayden felt drawn to Evie's spirit - there's a big reason! We'll also get to see how Evie gets back to The Isle and why she's forgotten all about knowing Hayden as a child, likewise for Hayden.
> 
> This chapter also raised a few questions. Why was Hades not on The Isle? Why did he get sent there later on and why did Hayden get sent there too, especially since we know Persephone and Demeter aren't forced to live on The Isle? (This is a major plot point).
> 
> References:
> 
> The title 'bring back what once was mine,' is another reference to The Healing Song in Tangled. 
> 
> The Anemoi - Gods of the Winds.
> 
> "You mean if... he finds out," and "if... if is good," is a reference to Hercules, a running joke between Panic and Pain.
> 
> The restless spirits are like the ones in Hercules that try to grab his boat and later pull him into the river styx. 
> 
> "Come on let's go and play," is a reference to Frozen. I tried so hard to slip in something close to 'do you wanna build a snowman' but couldn't quite get it to work.
> 
> "And the sleeping princess finally awakes," is a call back to chapter 8, when Evie wakes up in Hayden's base .


	10. I've Got Some Mischief In My Blood

It became a daily routine, going to the meadow. Every morning Hayden would take Evie there, leading her by the hand down the cobblestone paths that led to the meadows. His mother's garden was tucked away in a hidden cavern, not far away from the Underworld palace. It was cloaked in a powerful glamour, creating the illusion that it was outside, with beautiful blue skies and fluffy clouds stretching off as far as the eye could see. Trees, flowers, shrubs, crops and fruit grew everywhere, with no rhythm or pattern. It was nature in its truest form, untamed and untainted by mortals.

Evie seemed to love the place, Hayden could tell with the way her eyes lit up. She was still timid, cautious, but he could see her coming out of her shell more and more. Each morning before they went to the garden, they would eat breakfast together, sitting side by side in her room. Evie wouldn't speak, but Hayden spoke more than enough for both of them.

Finally, after nearly a month, Evie finally worked up the courage to speak again.

Hayden and Evie were lying in a flower bed of blue tulips, a halo of yellow roses surrounding them. Evie sat with her legs crossed, idly playing with the tulips in front of her. Hayden was sprawled out beside her, both arms behind his head as he stared up at the faux sky. Pain and Panic, ever the loyal babysitters, where sitting a short distance away, where they could keep a sharp eye on the children. Pain was curled up on a hammock he had set up between two orchid trees, while Panic rested his back against one of the tree's trunk, contently making daisy chains - one of the few things that soothed his nerves.

For the past hour or so, Hayden had been ranting about the night prior. He and his father had gotten into an argument, one that they often fought.

"I'm nine years old! I'm not a child! I'm practically ten already," Hayden huffed, scowling bitterly. "I just really wanna see the Monster Realm, even if it's just one, teeny, tiny,  _little_  monster's liar!"

The Monster Realm was a dark section of The Underworld - forbidden to all but Hades himself - where all the monstrous creatures that he controlled dwelled. It was there that Hayden had wanted his father to take him so that he could  _finally_  get to see his father's pets up close - after all the stories his father had told him about them, how could he not? Much to the boy's displeasure, Hades - as always - had refused, insisting that Hayden was far too young to be dealing with monsters, especially as he was only a demigod, and therefore powerless.

_It's too dangerous_ , Hades had said.

Hades knew his son far too well and knew that the youngster would not be satisfied at seeing the monsters only once. If he learned the way to the Monster Realm, Hayden would soon enough try and venture there himself. The monsters only obeyed Hades and that was because he had earned their fear and respect, something Hayden had not. If the young boy were to go anywhere near the monsters without his father's supervision, then they would devour him before he could blink - and that was only if he didn't bump into one of the monsters that liked to play with their food before eating.

Being denied access to the monsters made Hayden all the more eager to see the creatures for himself. They were like the forbidden fruit, tempting as they were irresistible. Before Evie had arrived in The Underworld, whenever he managed to slip away from Pain and Panic, he would often search for the mysterious realm. Much to his annoyance, he had yet to find even a hint of its location.

"He always treats me like a little kid," Hayden muttered. "One of these days, I'll go the distance and show him that I'm more than capable!"

Besides him, Evie turned her attention away from the flower in her hand, giving the boy a pitying smile. She surprised Hayden by placing a hand over his gloved one, offering him what little bit of comfort she had the courage to give. Hayden felt his anger drain a little and he couldn't help but return the smile.

"You know, it's nice to have a friend to share all this with," Hayden said, closing his eyes and enjoying the feeling of the suns heat upon his skin.

Before Evie had come here, he had never had anyone he could truly open up to, forced to bottle up his feelings on so many matters. But now, he had someone who was willing to listen, someone, he could open up his heart to and get everything off his chest.

"We're... friends?"

For a moment, Hayden thought he was hearing things. When he opened his eyes and saw Evie staring at him, he realised she was waiting for a response. She had spoken! After weeks of silence, she had finally spoken! Hayden swallowed back his excitement, determined to take things slowly.

"Of course," Hayden said, smilings softly.

"I don't really... have any friends," Evie mumbled, so quietly Hayden had to strain to hear.

"I find that hard to believe." He couldn't imagine that she had no one back on The Isle whom she could call a friend. Even though he hadn't had the chance to see the real her - the girl hidden behind the fear, wariness and grief - he knew she had to be someone instantly likeable. There was something sweet about her, something kind. He saw it in the way that she smiled at the flowers, how she held them tenderly in her hands like they were the most delicate and precious of treasures. There was an air about her, something caring and comforting.

"I... used to," she said, biting her lip. "Before I got banished."

Hayden perked up, alarmed and unsettled. "What do you mean... banished?"

"When I was five, I had a birthday party. I didn't want to invite Maleficent's daughter, Mal. She used to pick on me all the time. She didn't take too kindly to the lack of invite." Evie shrugged and wrapped her arms around her knees, her eyes glazing over with sadness. "Her mother wasn't happy either, so she banished my mother and me to our castle in the Dark Forest. I've been there ever since and no ones allowed to come to visit, so I don't have any friends anymore."

Hayden's hands clenched, his eyes flashing amber. It angered him to know that Evie had been treated so poorly, that she was forced to be locked away in a castle with no companions. It reminded him of his own plight, being trapped in The Underworld, his over-protective father forbidding him from leaving and having no friends of his own. It was a lonely and maddening fate to suffer, and his heart filled with anger knowing Evie had endured it.

"Well that doesn't matter anymore, Evie," Hayden said, pushing himself up to look at her. "You've got a friend in me, that I promise you."

Evie looked hesitant at first, wary even. She looked at him long and hard and Hayden prayed with all his might that she could see the serenity and conviction of his words in his eyes. He wanted her to believe him, to know that he meant what he said. When she smiled, a small, tentative thing, Hayden knew that she did, and his heart swelled with delight.

"I'll keep you safe from nasty dragons and anyone else who would ever want to hurt you," Hayden swore, his eyes shining fiercely.

* * *

From that day onwards, things changed between Evie and Hayden. With every passing day, Evie grew more confident in herself, her voice ringing louder and clearer. She smiled more, she laughed more and it didn't take long before Hayden found himself utterly smitten with her.

They went everywhere together, rarely leaving each other's side unless forced. Every day they played games in Pershones's gardens, their laughter ringing throughout the clearing. Hayden taught Evie the names of every plant that grew there, what their meaning was and explaining how they grew. Evie was eager to learn, though she was already well versed in the poisonous branches of the plant world.

When dinner time came, Evie eat her dinner with Hayden and his family. She tended to draw back into herself at dinner, and it was something that Hayden couldn't quite blame her for. Having dinner with two powerful Gods, especially one as intimidating as his father, was bound to make the girl nervous. With Persphones gentle encouragement and Hayden's reassurance, Evie eventually lowered her walls, letting her charming and sweet personality shine through. Hayden's parents were rather taken with her and grew to consider her a part of their family.

Evie was eventually given her own room, one decorated to suit her brighter character. It was a beautiful room made of white marble, with a bed fit for a queen, a walk-in-wardrobe filled with dresses and robes, a crystal vanity table and a table for two by a window overlooking The River Styx, where Evie and Hayden eat their breakfast each morning.

For Evie, her second life was simple and pleasant. She spent most of her time playing with Hayden in the meadows or the palace. Sometimes though, Hayden's mother would whisk her away for afternoon tea or strolls through the gardens while Hades took Hayden for his weekly 'godly lessons', where he learned about ruling The Underworld and his father's other duties. Evie was happy, truly happy for the first time, finally feeling free, no longer confined to sinister Isle or her run down, dreary castle.

For Hayden, although he too was happier than ever, finally having a friend to play and talk to, still he was not content. He wanted to be allowed free reign to explore The Underworld, to not be restricted to the palace and the meadows - his father's limits on where he and Evie were allowed to play. Everywhere else was off limits, branded too dangerous. Hayden knew Evie was content with their lot, but she had only been here a few months. Give it a few more and she too would feel the tug of the leash that was wound around their wrists.

One day, he decided enough was enough. He was bored of the meadows and the palace and wanted to venture further into The Underworld.

"Come on, Evie, it'll be fun!"

"I don't know, Hayden. I thought we were going swimming today at the lake," Evie mumbled as she rubbed her arms. "Besides, if your dad said we're not allowed to see the rest of The Underworld, maybe there's a good reason for it."

"He's being over'protective," Hayden rolled his eyes, scowling. "Don't you want to see the rest of The Underworld? I've lived here my entire life and I haven't even seen all of this place! I only get to see glimpses of what my dad shows me during his lessons."

"Hayden," Evie said softly, still unsure. "I don't know about this."

"I'm surprised the daughter of the Evil Queen isn't up for a little mischief," Hayden pouted, crossing his arms.

Evie bristled and scoffed, offended by his comment. Hayden couldn't help but smirk, knowing he was succeeding in convincing her. He knew that Evie took great pride in being the daughter of the Evil Queen and that she was never one to back down from a challenge. Poking at her pride was the best way to convince her. It worked. Evie's features changed from uncertain and cautious to determined.

"Mischief is in my blood," Evie replied, placing her hands on her hips and holding her chin high.

"Then prove it," Hayden dared, his eyes twinkling impishly.

"Fine, but if we get caught you're taking the blame," Evie said sternly, pointing a finger at the boy. "How are we going to lose Pain and Panic? They have eyes like hawks."

Hayden smirked. "Leave that to me."

* * *

"This is all your fault!"

"How is it my fault?" Pain snapped.

"How is it  _not_  your fault?" Panic retorted sharply.

The two demons were currently dangling upside from a willow tree in Persephone's meadow, their bodies tied up tightly with cord. They were swinging side to side and despite their struggling and straining, neither could free themselves.

"You're the one who fell for the  _'oh, what's that behind you?'_  routine," Pain shouted, glaring at his companion. "It's the oldest trick in the book!"

"And where were you when I was getting knocked out by a frying pan? Oh, that's right. You were setting off a rope snare trap! How many times is Hayden going to trick you with that one?" Panic hissed. "And all it took was a new pair of sneakers to lure you in! Again!"

"Oh, for The Underworld's sake! It doesn't matter who's to blame! What matters is getting out of this mess before you know who finds us!" Pain groaned and grunted as he tried to break free from his bonds. "If he finds out Hayden got away again we really will be-"

A shadow fell over the demons. They ceased their struggling, slowly glancing up to see who or what was blocking the light. Both their eyes widening and a cry caught in their throat. In union, they both screamed, "Oh my Gods!"

* * *

Hayden laughed as he ran down the palace corridors and out one of the back doors that lead to the underground tunnels. Evie was not far behind him, and despite her reservations about disobeying Hades rules, she was grinning, enjoying the rush that came with throwing caution to the wind. Like Hayden, it had been far too long since she had caused any mischief and she couldn't help but relish in it.

The children finally slowed down when they came to one of the rivers that flowed through The Underworld. Its waters glowed an unusual grey colour, casting frightful shadows upon the cavern walls. Unlike The River Styx, no spirits glided through its waters.

"Which river is this, Hayden?" Evie asked, kneeling down beside the river.

"Careful, Evie!" Hayden yanked her up quickly, pulling her away from the river's edge. "That's The River Lethe, the river of forgetfulness. If you touch its waters you'll begin to forget things."

"Oh," Evie said.

She glanced away from the waters but instantly wished she hadn't. Running through the tunnels she had hardly been able to make out anything, All she had to light her way was a dull lantern, and with the two of them running as fast as they could go, it had been hard to make out any details on the cavern or tunnel walls. But now that they had come to a stop, and with the bright light emitting from the river, Evie could clearly see what the walls were made of. It made her recoil, bumping into Hayden with a shriek.

The walls were made of bones. Thousands and thousands of bones! There were skulls, ribs, arms bones, legs bones and many others, all stacked on top of each other, embedded deeply into the stone walls. Not all of them looked human, some were misshapen with horns, antlers and other unusual features. Their hollowed out eye sockets stared lifelessly back at the girl, causing a shiver to run down her spine.

"It's just bones," Hayden shrugged like it was no big deal. Evie supposed it wasn't, not for him, not the son of the ruler of the dead. But for Evie, it was unsettling and disturbing. There were one or two skulls lying about her mother's potion room, but nowhere near as many as this. "Come on, Evie. We need to hurry. If my dad finds out we're gone he'll know where we'll be heading."

"Where are we going?" Evie asked, confused. She had thought they were merely exploring, not going somewhere specific.

"The Monster Realm," Hayden whispered, eyes shining with excitement. "We just need to find it first. He keeps it well hidden."

"Monster Realm?" Evie gasped, alarmed by Hayden's plan. "Are you serious? Why are we going somewhere like that? We'll get eaten!"

"We won't get eaten," Hayden rolled his eyes. "Well... so long as we don't get caught. We just have to find it."

Hayden tapped his finger off his chin, pondering the different places that the realm could be. He was fairly certain that his father had been periodically switching the location of the realm, ensuring that his son could not find it whenever he managed to escape from Pain and Panic. If that was the case then he wasn't sure how he would ever find it. It would have to be a fluke, complete and utter luck, to stumble upon it. Either that or...

Hayden's eyes widened and he turned to Evie, looking at her curiously. "Evie... your mother's a witch, right? So... that would make you one too?"

"Well, yeah," Evie said, shrugging. "But I can't access my magic. The barrier..."

Hayden smirked as Evie's words trailed off. She looked stunned, realization dawning over her. She whirled around to face Hayden, excitement dancing in her eyes.

"But I'm not on The Isle anymore, I'm outside the barrier! So-"

"-So you can access your powers!" Hayden finished off eagerly. "You could use your magic to lead us straight to the Monster Realm!"

Evie's entire body was tingling with anticipation. All her life she had yearned to be able to do magic, to tap into the well of power she felt trapped inside her. And now here was that chance, a chance she had dreamed about since her mother had first told her of what she would one day be capable of, once they broke free of the barrier. Spells, curses, hexes, and enchantments, whatever she wanted, she could do. Her mother had been preparing her for that day, teaching her everything she could about the true path of a witch. Evie wasn't quite sold on the idea of going to the Monster Realm, but Hayden's request did offer her an opportunity to test out her powers.

"We would need to do a location spell, so I'll need a small mirror," Evie said, pulling out her compact mirror. It was shaped like a skull, one side bearing the mirror and the other the skulls giant black eyes, the ivory surface carved with swirls and curls. Hayden had gifted it to her a few weeks after she had arrived in The Underworld - she always kept it with her, whenever she went. "Hmm let me think. My mother always said that to do a spell I have to speak in verse while tapping into my magic, which I do by focusing."

Evie bit her lip, trying to think of an ideal rhyme to activate the spell. She had to be careful to make it clear to the magic what she was asking.

_"Magic mirror wait no longer, reveal the location of the realm of monsters,"_ Evie said, loudly and clearly.

The mirror began to shine, a golden arrow appearing on its surface. It swirled around and around like a compass, dazzling and glittering before it finally pointed towards a cave opening. Evie glanced to Hayden.

"Are you sure about this?"

"Don't worry," Hayden reassured her. "We're just gonna take a peek."

Evie didn't want to go to the Monster Realm. She was all up for a little mischief and misbehaviour, but this just seemed needlessly dangerous. Hayden seemed set on it though, and she didn't want to disappoint him nor did she trust him not to attempt to go there himself, it would be safer with the two of them, she reasoned. With dread churning her stomach, Evie let the arrow in her mirror lead them away from the river, and further away from the palace than either of them had ever been.

They walked for what felt like hours, going deeper and deeper into the underground tunnel systems that littered The Underworld. For a while, Evie thought the spell wasn't working, that it was merely pointing randomly. Surely they should have come across something by now? Just when she was about to voice her doubts a loud growl echoed down the tunnel. Hayden and Evie stilled, glancing around warily.

"Did you hear that?" Hayden whispered.

"Uh huh," Evie muttered, gulping.

"It has to be up ahead! Come on, Evie! We're almost there!"

Hayden hurried on ahead, Evie trailing after him. They came to a large cavern, larger than any the other ones they had seen. Much to their surprise, it was empty. Hayden frowned, looking around for the sight of any monsters. Evie too searched the cavern, though she did so out of fear of something sneaking up on them.

"This... looks like any other cavern in The Underworld. What gives?" Hayden snatched the mirror from Evie's hand but the arrow had vanished, which they assumed was the spells way of telling them they were at their desired destination. "Did this thing send us on a wild goose chase?"

Hayden began hitting the mirror off the palm of his hand, trying fruitlessly to figure out if something was wrong with it.

Evie took a step closer to him, something prickling her senses. Since they had stepped foot in the enormous cave, something had felt... off. She felt on edge, tense like her body instinctively knew something was wrong before she was consciously aware of it. Evie wasn't sure what the strange feeling was but all she knew was she wanted to leave, fast.

"Hayden, I wanna leave," Evie muttered. "Please."

"One minute, Evie. I just wanna figure out what's wrong with this... thing..."

Hayden stopped talking, frowning when he realised something was making a noise. Something low, almost like a hiss.

Evie heard it too and glanced over her shoulder. She let out a startled gasp, grabbing hold of Hayden's arm, forcing him to turn around.

Above the cave tunnel that they had just exited was another one a short distance above it. Inside the tunnel, two reptilian-like, amber eyes shone brightly in the darkness. The children backed away as the head of a massive beast slithered out of the hole, its mouth opening to reveal razor sharp fangs. Two more heads snaked out after the first, all of them grinning evilly down at the terrified children.

"The Hydra," Hayden whispered. "Evie... RUN!"

The Hyrda let out a cave quaking roar, rubble crumbling from the stalactites high above on the cavern ceiling. Evie and Hayden cried out, narrowly avoiding the falling debris. Their chests heaved and their legs burned as they ran across the clearing, trying to make it to one of the other tunnels. Behind them, The Hyrda crawled out of its hiding place, its feet shaking the ground with every step.

The children barely managed to get into the cave as one of the beast's heads reared forward, its teeth gnashing at their fleeing forms. Evie and Hayden stopped a few feet into the tunnel, both resting their hands on their knees, their backs bent as they tried to catch their breath.

"Don't worry, it can't get us in here. The tunnels too-"

The Hyrda dove into the tunnel, its body squeezing and taring through the rock. It's large claws raked the ground as it pulled its ways forward, inching closer and closer.

"Never mind!" Hayden yelled.

Evie grabbed Hayden by the wrist and pulled him further into the tunnel, The Hyrda ploughing its way towards them. Its fierce digging caused the tunnel to shake and crumble, more and more rubble falling around them. Hayden shouted something to Evie, but she couldn't hear him over the sound of the shattering rocks, snap of teeth and hiss of The Hyrda. It was only when they hit a wall did she realise he had tried to warn her about the dead end up ahead, his night vision giving him the heads up.

Here, the tunnel had expanded large enough for The Hyrda to stand up to its full height. It loomed over the children, its terrifying features cast in the amber light of Evie's lantern. Evie pushed herself up against the wall to get as far away from it as possible. She was shaking, tears racing down her cheeks. Hayden was trembling too, tears forming at the corners of his eyes.

"Get away!" Hayden shouted, his voice quivering. "I'm Hayden! Hades son! Do you realize what he'll do to you if he finds out you killed us?"

Hayden moved in front of Evie, blocking her body with his own. His eyes glowed brightly, but the creature only seemed amused, a deep sound, almost like a sinister chuckle, reverting up its throats. The Hyrda cared not for the legacies or heritage of children, names held no power to it, and this is what Hades had tried to warn his son countless times. Down here, in the belly of The Underworld, those who had not earned the beasts respect were nothing but prey.

The Hyrda slammed one of its clawed paws down beside the children, causing them to yell out in fright, which only seemed to further please the sadistic creature.

_It's playing with us_ , Evie realised, sickened.

It was going to draw out their fear before it finally ended them for good. Evie didn't want to die, she didn't want her second life to end so shortly. And she didn't want Hayden to die either. He had done so much for her. It was because of him that she got a second chance at life, he had become her first friend since her banishment, he looked out for her, played with her and cared for her. She didn't want to lose him, not like this.

Despite the fear swelling inside her, Evie shoved her way in front of Hayden and brought her hands over one another, outstretching them away from her body - just as her mother had shown her. The words of the spell of protection, one she had never been able to use before as the barrier had always been there leaching her magic away, fell from her lips with ease.

_"Dark forces respect, this light which protects. My magic is a shield, that I chose to wield!"_

Evie repeated the spell, louder and louder with every earth-shaking step that the creature took forward. She could feel the magic - still strange and unfamiliar - fizzling at her fingertips. Light shone from the palm of her hand and she winced, shutting her eyes as a brilliant white light flared to life. The Hydra shrieked as the light stung its eyes and it stumbled backwards, its heads smashing into the ceiling and body colliding with the walls of the tunnel. Rocks began raining down on the creature, battering into its body and causing it to shriek and panic.

The light from Evie's spell finally simmered away, and the Hydra's eyes adjusted just in time to see the tunnels ceilings beginning to cave in.

Hayden and Evie cried out as rocks crashed to the ground around them.

"Quick, Evie, follow me!" Hayden said, grabbing her hand and pulling her back down the tunnel the way they had come. Behind them, The Hydra hissed and took chase, desperately trying to flee and determined to snatch up the brats that had disturbed it. Two of the Hydra's head struck forward, trying to catch the youngsters in its teeth.

Up ahead, they could see the larger cavern once more. The Hyrda was close behind them, a curtain of rocks falling behind it as the cave collapsed in on itself. The children threw themselves out the cave, barely escaping being crushed. The Hyrda was not so lucky.

Hayden pushed himself up off the ground, looking back to see The Hyrda crushed under the weight of the cave in, only one of its heads visible, sticking out through the rubble.

It reminded Hayden of The Hyrda's first demise at the hands of Hercules, a landslide having pulverised the creature. The Hyrda, the mighty beast of his childhood stories, was groaning and snarling, pathetically trying to lift the mountain of debris covering its body. Blood trickled down from its mouth, every movement causing it to wince and howl in agony. It was a pitiful sight, one that startled Hayden to his core.

It wasn't right...

"Hayden... let's go," Evie said quickly, helping him to his feet. "We need to get away from that thing!"

To Evie, the Hydra was nothing but a monstrous dragon. Every princess knew the dangers of dragons, it was a lesson she had learned the hard way on The Isle. They captured beautiful princesses and locked them away in terrible castles, forcing them to be alone and unloved, just like them. But to Hayden, The Hyrda was one of his father's most legendary monsters. It was a powerful figure from his childhood, one he had longed to see since he had first heard of it. And here was the incredible creature of legend, reduced to a writhing heap.

"We have to help it," Hayden said quietly.

"What?" Evie gasped, looking at her friend like he had gone mad - and maybe he had with suggesting such a ludicrous idea. "No, we need to leave before it gets back up or before something else finds us!"

"No, Evie, we need to help it," Hayden said, gently removing her hand from his arm. He moved over to the pile of rocks and began digging through the smaller rocks. "We can't just leave it here to die, Evie. This isn't how The Hydra goes down. Not again! It deserves better than this!"

"Hayden, it tried to kill us!"

"Evie... please."

Evie stilled, staring at Hayden with wide, confused eyes. Hayden looked at her pleadingly, gesturing to the helpless creature. The Hyrda had ceased its struggled, now watching the children curiously. It was too weak to do anything else.

"I can't... explain it. I just... I just can't let it get killed again. Dad said he wouldn't bring it back again if it failed him - if any, of his monsters, failed him. Please, help me free it. It's not going to hurt us, will you?"

The Hyrda lifted its head as much as it could, narrowing its eyes as it looked at the boy. Something flickered in its gaze before finally, as though understanding, it nodded. It turned its weakened gaze to Evie, barely able to keep its eyes open.

"Do you trust me?" Hayden asked.

She did, but this just seemed foolish. What if Hayden was wrong? What if the creature tried to hurt them again? They might not be so fortunate this time.

Evie looked at the creature, her heart twinging with pity at seeing the beast in pain. With a sigh, she nodded her head, praying to anyone listening that Hayden was right.

"Step aside and get behind me."

Hayden did as he was told. He watched as Evie lifted her hands, her brow scrunched in concentration, as she tried to think of any useful spell her mother had taught her or that she had read in her studies.

_"Sands of time, hear my rhyme. Reverse the clocks, and lift the rocks,"_  Evie whispered.

For a moment, nothing happened and Evie felt her heart deflate. Perhaps the spell she was trying to use was too strong for her current capabilities? Or perhaps her verse wasn't specific enough? But then, just as she was about to try another spell, the rocks crushing the creature began to levitate and vanish in puffs of sparkling, blue glitter. The Hydra rose to its feet, the wounds on its body patching and healing, disappearing as though they had never been.

"You did it, Evie!" Hayden shouted, punching the air.

Evie couldn't help the bright smile that broke onto her face. It was short lived when she heard the sound of growls and hisses coming from behind her. The children turned around, their hearts dropping at the sight that greeted them.

The other monsters had found them.

They were enormous creatures, snarling and hissing, some licking their lips in anticipation. High above them was a harpy-like creature with scruffy black feathers and frightful, red eyes. Below it, was a black gryphon, a minotaur, a giant warthog and a ferocious lion. Hidden in the shadows further back, more creatures lurked out of sight, their glowing eyes the only give away of their presence. They were a heart-stopping spectacle of terror, making the children feel insignificant and small.

"Hayden, I don't think I can beat all of them," Evie murmured, gripping onto Hayden's arm tightly.

A thunderous thud of a footstep behind them caused the children to spin around, having forgotten that The Hydra was still there, watching closely. Evie whimpered, burying her head into Hayden's shoulder. Hayden stared up at the creature, his eyes glowing brightly, a silent challenge for the creature to remember its promise, to remember who had saved it from eternal damnation.

The Hyrda stepped forward and leaned down, all three heads inches away from the children. Evie clutched onto Hayden tighter, but Hayden refused to look away, glaring at the creature with all his might. Evie had been brave when she stood her ground against The Hydra to save him, and now it was his turn to be courageous. He refused to bink or budge, putting everything he had into his glare, willing the beast into submission.

The Hyrda opened all of its mouths, its breath hot upon the children's flesh, salvia speckling their clothes. Abruptly, it pulled away, so fast that it caused Hayden to flinch. The Hyrda stepped over the children, standing in front of them and letting out a low, menacing hiss. The other creatures paused, looking at The Hydra in confusion. The Harpy screeched and swooped down, ready to sink its sharp talons into the youngsters. It didn't get far. One of The Hyrda's heads snapped out, grabbing the bird-like creature in its teeth before launching it across the cavern. The Harpy smashed into a cavern wall before falling to the ground with a deafening bang.

The other monsters took a step back, hissing angrily at The Hyrda.

The Hyrda began grunting and snarling, and it took Evie and Hayden a moment to realise what it was doing.

"It's... speaking to them," Evie whispered.

Hayden nodded, his grip on Evie's hand tightening.

Out of all the monsters, The Hydra was the most powerful - the other creatures knew this well. The others would follow its lead, out of fear if nothing else. After a few tense moments, the other monsters backed away, returning to the shadows. Only Evie, Hayden and The Hydra remained. The Hydra nodded its heads towards Hayden and Evie respectful, before it too stomped off into the darkness, vanishing.

Evie and Hayden relaxed, letting out a breath they hadn't realised they had been holding.

"Hayden... can we go now?"

"Good idea."

"I'll tell you what a better idea would have been," a third voice chimed in, one that riveted both children to the spot. Ever so slowly, they both turned around to find Hades towering over them, looking furious. Pain and Panic were clutched tightly in the God's hands, Pain by the tail and Panic by the ears, neither looking happy to be there.  _"Listening. To. Me!"_

The entire room lit up as Hade's flames soared high, his entire body a furnace of fury.

Hayden winced but quickly covered it up with a dazzling, innocent smile.

"Hi, Dad, fancy meeting you here!"

* * *

Grounded.

They were both grounded for a month, an entire month! Evie flopped down onto her bed, bored out of her mind. She wasn't allowed out her room and neither was Hayden, which meant they only got to see each other at breakfast, lunch and dinner, which, they had to have in the presence of the adults. All trust had gone up in smoke.

"This is so boring!" Evie whined into her pillow.

It had only been a few days into her grounding and already she could feel cabin fever setting in. It didn't help that she was dreadfully worried about Hayden. She wanted to check up on him, knowing he had received the bulk of the blame and telling off for their running away to the Monster Realm. True, it had been his idea, but it was her fault that they had been able to find the realm. It didn't seem fair that he had gotten the brunt of his father's anger.

_I'll just check on him and be right back, no will know I left_ , Evie decided.

It was easy to slip by Pain who was guarding her door, the little demon having fallen asleep. She crept along the marble and stone hallways, careful to remain out of sight of the servants and guards scurrying around - it was unusually busy, making Evie wonder if there was a special occasion they were preparing for. It took her longer than usual, but Evie eventually got to Hayden's room. Just as she was about to go in, a hand came out of nowhere and clamped over her mouth, preventing her from screaming as an arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her behind a statue.

Evie's muffled cries ceased when she heard her captor hushing her. It was a familiar voice, one that sent a jolt of happiness through her. It was then that she noticed two guards passing by. She stopped struggling and kept quiet. Once they were out of earshot, Evie's captor whispered into her ear.

"You know, you're not supposed to leave your room when you're grounded," Hayden teased. "I'd almost think you'd never been grounded before."

Evie rolled her eyes, shoving aside Hayden's hand. She turned around to face him, a smile on her lips. "Actually, I haven't."

"You've never been grounded?" Hayden quirked an eyebrow, eyeing her sceptically.

"You only get grounded if you get caught," Evie winked.

Hayden smirked before opening his mouth, ready to retort when more footsteps echoed down the corridor. The children crouched down, watching several shadows as they passed by. Only two were familiar to Evie, one clearly being Hades and another Persephone. She had to peer out of her hiding place to make out the other four people walking beside them.

"Uh... oh," Hayden mumbled, peeking out to take a better look. "What is  _he_  doing here?"

"What? Who are they?" Evie asked.

There were three women draped in black cloaks, chattering away to one another quietly. Evie could barely make out their faces with their hoods obscuring them, but they reminded her a little of her mother's hag form. Beside them was a tall a man with dark purple skin, wearing white robes and golden sandals. Over his shoulder, he carried a lilac bow and quiver filled with arrows. He was incredibly handsome, with soft features, dark purple hair brushed back and bright blue eyes. The most striking things about him though was the set of glorious, white wings sprouting from his back. Evie was awed by the wings and wondered if the man was an angel.

As a child Evie had not known who any of the figures were, as a young women looking back on her long-forgotten memories, now she knew.

It was The Fates... and Cupid.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, I had to cut the chapter short as it got too long. I wonder what Cupid and The Fates are doing there? Hmmm... The reason we didn't get to see a big Hyrda chase/battle in chapter 3 'Gates of Tarturus' was so we could have it in this chapter. This is also why The Hyrda listened to Hayden and moved on in chapter 3, because it respects him for saving its life. Hayden can control the monsters like his father but rather than earning that power through fear he did so by compassion.
> 
> References: 
> 
> The title is from Descendants 1 'Rotten To The Core'. 
> 
> Blue tulips mean loyalty and yellow roses are for new beginnings, friendship and innocence.
> 
> "I'm nine years old! I'm not a child!" is a reference to The Little Mermaid, when King Triton is scolding Ariel in her treasure cove.
> 
> "I'll go the distance," is a reference to Hercules "I Can Go The Distance."
> 
> Evie being banished to her mother's castle occurs in The Descendants Books.
> 
> "You got a friend in me," is a line from the song 'You Got A Friend In Me' from Toy Story.
> 
> "Mischief is in my blood," is another reference to Descendents 1 'Rotten To The Core'. 
> 
> Pain being lured into the trap by a pair of sneakers is a light reference to Pain's like of sneakers since he wore a pair of Hercules merchandise shoes in the movie. Pain and Panic screaming "Oh my Gods!" is another reference to Hercules, when they both annoy Hades.
> 
> "Do you trust me," is a line from Aladdin, said by Aladdin to Jasmine several times.


	11. Remember Me Though We Have To Say Goodbye

"Tell me, what is my  _favourite_  nephew doing all the way down here? Finally decided to pay your old uncle a visit, huh?" Hades asked, a mirthless smile on his face.

The Gods and Goddesses had taken their meeting to Hade's throne room. It was a vast room made of stone, grey marble and bones, situated near the top of Hades's palace. There was a magnificent open balcony overlooking The River Styx, the river's eerie glow reaching into the room, casting shadows of ghouls across the walls and floors. The spirits wails were a faint noise in the backdrop.

Hades lounged on his broken throne, sat atop a pedestal of stairs made of bones. Besides him, on a white throne adorned with lush vines and blossoming flower, Persephone took her place, sitting with her hands clasped on her lap. With a flick of his wrist, Hades could have summoned chairs for his guests, but he was feeling rather petty today. Cupid's presence here, along with The Fates - who were usually hiding away in the depths of The Underworld - could only mean trouble. He would no doubt be leaving this family get together with a splitting headache and a need for revenge - as was the tradition.

"Oh, am I your favourite?" Cupid said with a cheeky smirk. "And here I thought Hercules held that title."

Hades scowled down at the younger God, standing before his throne, arrogant and impish as always. He could not help but contemplate whether or not setting Cerberus on the over-grown cherub would be worth the beating Aphrodite would give him.

Sensing her husbands growing rage, Persephone placed a hand over one of Hade's, the touch an unspoken reminder to control his temper. Hades glanced at her and took a deep breath, attempting to soothe his anger.

He knew she was doing so for his sake. She was well aware of how close he was teetering on the edge of the other God's fury. They hadn't forgiven him for his transgressions against them over the aeons, their memories long and their wraths enduring. During her time in the above worlds, his wife had heard whispers from the Keepers of The Wind, of growing discontent at the lack of true justice for his crimes. Why they hadn't tried anything over the centuries, Hades wasn't sure, but his wife always reminded him that the other Gods did not need any more incentive to strike. For her sake, he tried to reign in his worst instincts.

Hade's relationship with Persephone was not perfect, nor did it begin as any romance should, but he knew that she loved him dearly, having grown to over the years. She didn't want to lose him nor did she want her son to be without his father. She looked out for him as best she could - even if, deep down, in the blackest pits of his heart - he felt he did not deserve such loyalty, something he would never admit.

"I came here voluntarily. The Gods want you to return that which does not belong here," Cupid said.

All of the Cupid's usual playfulness had drained from his voice. At that moment Cupid no longer resembled a mischievous matchmaker or cheeky nephew here to tease his forsaken uncle. Instead, he looked like a godly warrior, stern and unyielding, his eyes hardening and back straightening. Cupid was well known for his smooth-talking charms and troublemaking antics, often resulting in a litter of broken hearts in his wake, but what many forgot, was that he was still the son of the God of War and was more than capable of waging battle. Sometimes, there was a fine line between love and war.

"And that would be?" Hades drawled, gesturing for more information.

"Evie, the girl your son saved from The River Styx and whom you brought back to life," Cupid answered, eyes meeting the other Gods. "She is of the living and therefore does not belong here."

Hades bristled, narrowing his eyes.

It was true that the living did not belong in The Underworld, some may venture here from time to time, but they never stayed long. Evie was the exception, an exception he had made to please his son and wife. He knew Hayden felt alone in The Underworld, and if bending the rules once allowed his son some happiness, then let the rules be damned. This was his domain, his world, his word was law. He had broken the rules before - for himself, for mortals worthy of it like Orpheus, and for the other Gods who had strong-armed him into it - why did it matter if he had broken one or two more? The other Gods had broken so many of their own rules, he was merely cashing in on his uncollected ones.

Truthfully, it wasn't completely for his son's happiness. He and his wife had come to cherish the girl in her time here. She was like a ray of sunshine, bright and sweet and cheerful. As much as he was loathed to admit it, she had grown on him. Why send her back above, where she would be forced to live in a prison island, with villainous thugs and filth? The Underworld may be dark and dreary, but it was infinitely better than what The Isle of The Lost had to offer her. She was safer here, where she could live in luxury, protected, cherished and free.

"Resurrecting her was also against the rules. I'm taking it that's why they're here-" Hades pointed to The Fates "-to snip her string and send her back to the rivers, huh?"

The words tasted foul on his tongue but Hade's kept up his nonchalant appearance. At the corner of his eye, he noticed the way his wife stiffened, unhappy at the thought.

"She's one little mortal, what does it matter?" Hades continued. "I can't quite see why you or the other Gods care enough to get involved with this."

If anything it unsettled Hades to know that the Olympians deemed this worthy enough to take matters into their own hands, going as far to send a messenger of divinity to him. Something was not right. Perhaps they were trying to utilise his lapse in the rules to finally make their move against him?

"You know the rules, Hades," Cupid replied, crossing his arms. Darkly, with an edge to his voice, he added, "there are consquences for breaking them."

"You have a cheek to be lecturing me about rules, Feather Brains," Hades hissed venomously, fingers digging into the throne's armrests. "It wasn't that long ago that your and the rest of the high and mighty brigade were forcing me to break the rules and bring back not one, not two, but generations of villains back from the dead! How many rules did that break, huh? And for what? Nothing more than revenge, some sick desire to watch a bunch of folks who met some of the most grizzly deaths I've ever seen, suffer more."

"If you have an issue with that take it up with the other Gods, I'm only here to take Evie back to The Land of The Living."

"Oh, I take no issue with making your enemies suffer, I'm all for it actually," Hades said with a shrug. "I'm just pointing out the delightful hypocrisy."

"Take Evie... back... to The Land of The Living?" Peresponed asked, frowning. "You do not wish to end her life?"

"No, I do not," Cupid said more softly, his eyes casting toward the balcony, towards The River Styx. "She never should have been done here in the first place. But it was the only way..."

Persephone's frown deepened, her eyes moving over to The Fates.

Hades followed her gaze and narrowed his eyes. The Fates were being suspiciously quiet, which was not like them - they usually had plenty to say. There was something... off about them. They couldn't look him in the eyes and kept fidgeting nervously, twisting their cloaks and strands of hair between their long fingers. They almost looked guilty - if that were possible. Beside them, some unseen burden was weighing down on Cupid, distress and guilt clouding his eyes.

"What do you mean it was the only way?" Hades asked slowly, raising from his throne.

Persephone swallowed and closed her eyes. "Oh, Gods... tell me you didn't?"

"I had no other choice!" Cupid said, his voice breaking a little. "It had to be done. For both their sakes!"

"What did he do?" Hades asked his wife before whirling around to face his nephew. "What did you do!"

Cupid sighed, running a hand through his purple locks. He looked tired and pained. "Did you know that your son prays? He prays so often, always the same prayer. He attaches no Gods name to it, so it lingers through the heavens until it reaches those most suited to grant it - if they choose. Every single one has come to me."

Hades lowered himself back to his seat, listening carefully. Cupid was pacing before the thrones now, arms crossed loosely across his chest.

"Your son wanted what all children want, a friend. Someone who he could play with, laugh with, someone who would look out for and be there for him, someone who would always fight his corner - just as he would for them. He wanted someone to connect to, someone who would understand him. I wanted to give him that."

Cupid spoke softly, the words bringing a sad smile to his face before fading away to a pained frown.

"But I do not work in friendships or family bonds, my skills lie in matchmaking. And none of the other Gods more suited for the task would help the son of Hades, their sworn enemy. They ignored his prayers, but I could not. A child should not suffer for the sin of their parent," Cupid turned to face Hades. "I sought out The Fates and helped the only way I could, by orchestrating Evie's arrival here."

"Why Evie?" Persephone asked. "Why of all the children you could have sent, why her? Was there a reason?"

"What better companion could I give your son... than his soulmate?" Cupid said with a wistful smile. "In this timeline though, they were never meant to meet, as is the cruel fate of some soulmates. The Fates agreed to help me change that design and help bring Hayden and Evie together."

"I take it the other Gods don't know about this?" Hades asked, quirking an eyebrow. "Here you are breaking every rule in the book and yet you have the gall to lecture me about rules and consquences!"

"Hades," Persephone chided as her husband's flames flared.

"You had The Fates snip a child's life before her time-" Hades hissed.

"Well, we-" The Fates hurried to defend themselves but were silenced with a scorching glare from Hades.

"What if Hayden hadn't seen her in The River? What if he hadn't pulled her out? Evie would have lost her life far before her time!"

"We made sure he did notice her," Cupid defended himself. "Even if we hadn't her soul would have called out to his. That's the thing about soulmates, they're always drawn to each other. Even if they were never meant to find each other in this life in another they would have. It's inevitable."

"And yet now you want to take her away from him?" Hades retorted.

"For now... that is what must be," Cupid said. "The other Gods do not know of my meddling, just of your breaking of the rules. As I'm sure you suspect, they are watching you very closely, Hades."

"Just waiting for me to slip up, huh?" Hades muttered bitterly. "Good, old, big brother."

"They shall be reunited... in time," Clotho chimed in, taking a step forward. "But first... much must happen."

"Their pasts had to be entwined," Lachesis said.

"In order for their futures to be connected," Atropos added. "And it very well could be best for...  _all_  involved."

Hades narrowed his eyes, noticing the subtle look Atropos was giving him with her one eye. She and her sisters were being more vague than normal, and Atropos's quick glance at Cupid told him why.

Cupid was not privy to all their secrets and it seemed The Fates had ulterior motives for helping him in his matchmaking scheme. It made far more sense than The Fates having a lapse into sentimentality - they had never been keen on helping the other Gods, instead favouring Hades. Helping put Evie and Hayden on course to meet each other had changed fate, setting something else into motion. Something dark. Whatever that other possibility was, it would not be best for all. It would only be best for Hades and his followers.

"Fine, I'll let you take the girl," Hades said, sighing deeply.

Persephone shot to her feet, ready to protest but Hades silenced her with a gentle touch to her hand as he too rose to his feet.

"Only... so that they can be reunited in the future."

Hades gave The Fates a knowing side-glance. He wasn't sure if they would reveal whatever secrets they held, often it took a lot of flattery and bribery before they did that, but regardless, he trusted their favour of him over the other Gods. If they had been subtly playing with the strings of fate, then it would only be for reasons that could aid him. The other Gods often looked down on The Fates, scorning their knowing eye, envious of their abilities and uncomfortable in their haggard appearance which was so different to the Olympian's divine beauty. Hades, unlike his kin in Olympus, had welcomed The Fates with open arms, offering them a home and safety in The Underworld. Was it any wonder they favoured him most?

Cupid nodded at Hade's words, grateful that the issue was being resolved without conflict.

"I am so not looking forward to the demi-god temper tantrums we're about to get," Hades sighed, raising a hand to his head to ease the phantom of a headache threatening to inflict pain on him. "I should just feed you to my pouchie and be done with this, nephew."

"One problem," Atropos said dryly, causing everyone in the room to turn to look at her. She pointed a finger back towards the doors to the throne room, which was slightly ajar. "The children were listening and have already made a run for it."

Hade's shout quaked the entire Underworld.

"CERBERUS!"

* * *

"Run, Evie!" Hayden shouted. "We can't stop!"

"Hayden... I can't go on anymore," Evie said breathlessly. "My foot is hurting too much! I think I twisted it when we were running out of the palace."

The moment they had heard Hades agree to send Evie away, the children had fled. They had eavesdropped on the adults, and although they were still at too tender an age to understand the significance of everything said, being separated they had understood. Hayden had grabbed Evie's hand and whisked her away, determined to get her far away from the adults as possible.

"We have to keep going until we're somewhere safe. If we don't they're going to take you away, Evie!" Hayden said desperately, kneeling down beside Evie where she sat on the ground, nursing her aching ankle. Ever so gently, like she was the most precious thing in the cosmos, Hayden took her face in his gloved hands. "Please, Evie! I don't wanna lose you. You're my best friend!"

"I don't wanna be taken away from you, Hayden," Evie said softly, resting her forehead against his. "But I don't know if we have a choice."

"We have to try!" Hayden whispered determinedly. "Come on! I'll carry you!"

Evie didn't get the chance to protest as Hayden grabbed both her arms and yanked them over his neck. With a heave and a grunt, he pulled her up so she was sitting on his back, her arms wrapped around his neck from behind and his arms holding her legs. If he had to piggyback her all the way he would, so long as it kept them from being separated. Hayden ran as fast as he could, running down the tunnel systems with no idea where he was going, fear driving him forward. He didn't care how far they had to run, he knew every mile would be worth their while if it meant he and Evie got to stay together.

"What's the point, Hayden? They'll find us eventually. There's nowhere we can hide down here," Evie whispered, tightening her grip around his neck and burying her face into his hair. "It's pointless."

He knew she wasn't being pessimistic, just realistic. Under all his denial, apart of him already knew his futile it was to try and run away. But he couldn't just give up, not when it was Evie at stake.

"Evie, stop talking like that!" Hayden nudged her with his head in annoyance. "We'll figure this out. If we can't get away from them here then how about The Land of The Living? If we go there then Cupid can't take you, since you're not in The Underworld anymore. You won't be breaking any more rules!"

"How do we get out of The Underworld?" Evie asked, tilting her head.

"With your mirror and magic, of course," Hayden smirked. "Quick do a spell and lead us out of here!"

Evie sighed but pulled her mirror from her pocket.  _"Magic mirror in my hand, show us the way to the-"_

Evie's words were drowned out as something crashed through the tunnel wall, hurtling rubble into the air. The children screamed, shielding their mouths from the onslaught of dust that had risen, clouding their vision. Once the dust cleared, they wished it hadn't. As expected, they were no longer alone in the tunnel. Something massive towered some fifty feet above them, something with six pairs of glowing red eyes and three mouths filled with sharp fangs, dripping with saliva. It was a nightmarish sight, one that sent even the bravest of souls cowering.

"Cerberus," Hayden whispered.

"Nice doggy," Evie mumbled.

Hayden tightened his grip on Evie, slowly backing away as the creature began to approach them. With every step the titanic sized dog took, the ground trembled in fear.

"What are we going to do?" Evie asked.

Hayden looked around, frantically trying to look for some way out of this mess. While he walked backwards, he felt something crush under his foot. He reached down and grabbed the broken bone lying at his feet and waved it in the air, trying to draw the dogs attention to it.

"Look, Cerby! A bone! Fetch!"

The bone bounced off the dogs middle head, causing its ears to bend back as it let out a vicious growl.

"Or... not," Hayden mumbled, swallowing. "She usually likes playing fetch."

"Hayden," Evie said worriedly.

"New plan. Evie, I need you to hold on tightly and whatever you do, don't let go!"

"Why? What are you going to-"

Evie let out a shriek as Hayden charged forward, straight for Cerberus. The dog let out a noise, almost like a bewildered yelp, its eyes widening as the youngsters ran right through its legs. Cerberus was so large that it struggled to turn around in the tunnel, its body grinding against the narrow tunnel walls, giving the children a head start down the dark tunnel.

Evie lifted her mirror to her lips and whispered. "Mirror's projection, take our reflections, off in the other directions,"

The children's bodies glimmered and glowed a sparkling silver before mirror images of themselves appeared racing beside them. Hayden's stunned expression gave way to a grin as the reflections of themselves ran back the other way, leading Cerberus astray.

"What was that, Evie?"

"A mirror reflection spell," Evie replied. "Good for distractions. It creates a temporary living reflection. But as soon as Cerberus catches it it'll vanish and he'll be after us again."

"Well, we better get going!"

Hayden ran down the tunnel system, following Evie's directions as the mirror informed them where to go. He wasn't sure what they would do once they were free of The Underworld. All he knew was that they would have to hide or else the grown-ups would find them.

Eventually, Hayden came to a stop and placed Evie down. He fell to his knees, taking in deep breaths to help his aching lungs. While he rested, Evie limped over to the cliff edge they had stopped beside and peered down, drawn by the strange light coming from the drop.

"What river is that?" Eviie inquired, peering down.

At the bottom of the massive drop, a periwinkle coloured river flowed. Unlike The River Styx, she could see no ghouls haunting its waters.

"It's The River Lethe," Hayden answered. "The River of Forgetfulness. We're going to need to cross it, there's an old stone bridge a little further up."

Hayden finally got to his feet, but instead of giving Evie another piggyback, he got her to rest an arm over his shoulder and aided her walking that way. He was far too tired from all the running, and his limbs and back ached too much.

They found the crickety, old, rope bridge that stretched over The River Lethe. Hayden shook it roughly, testing its sturdiness. It didn't look strong enough to hold both of their weights, so they decided to go one by one. Hayden insisted on going first to make sure it would hold. Once he was on the other side he called out for Evie to cross.

"Just take your time and hold onto the ropes for support," Hayden shouted across to her.

Evie nodded, biting her lip as she made her way across. She held on tightly to the rope bannisters, her injury forcing her to lean heavily on them for support. Every so often the bridge swayed, halting her progress. Hayden winced, his eyes darting between Evie and the ancient ropes.

"Don't worry, Evie, you're doing fine," Hayden said encouragingly. "Just don't look down."

"Little late for that," Evie replied dryly, causing Hayden to chuckle.

In the distance, a thunderous booming sound followed by an earth-quaking howl trembled the cavern. The children shrieked as the ground shook, debris crumbling from the ceiling. Evie squeezed the ropes, bracing herself as the bridge shuddered under the weight of rocks smashing against it.

"I think Cerberus caught our reflections!"

"Ignore that! Just keep moving, Evie!" Hayden shouted.

It was then he noticed it, how the ropes on the other side of the bridge were beginning to fray under the added pressure of the rocks landing on the bridge. A sharp fear jolted through him as he noticed the ropes snapping. The bridge was breaking! Evie had noticed it too, and although he could see the flicker of fear in her eyes, she pushed forward as quick as her injury would allow.

They were both so wary of the withering ropes holding the bridge together, that they had forgotten the danger of the rotten, wooden planks which made up the walkway of the bridge. With her eyes darting back and forth between where she was going and the snapping ropes, Evie misplaced her foot, stepping on a badly decayed plank. Her foot broke through it and with a cry she fell forward, more planks breaking under the pressure. Evie winced, too afraid to move in case the few planks supporting her broke and she dropped through to the river below.

"Evie!" Hayden cried.

With little care of whether or not the bridge could hold his weight, Hayden bolted across it, bounding over broken planks to reach his fallen friend. But it was too late. The planks that Evie was lying on finally shattered and the young girl fell through the bottom of the bridge. Evie's terrified scream rang through Hayden's ears as he grabbed onto one of the rope bannisters and flung himself forward, his hand skimming against Evie's outstretched fingers and just managing to snag them.

"Evie, don't let go!"

"Hayden, I'm sorry!" Evie whimpered.

"It's not your fault, Evie! Just hold on, I'll try to pull you up."

But no matter how hard he tried, he just couldn't do it. He wasn't strong enough. Hayden let out a frustrated growl, hating himself for his weakness. He gritted his teeth as his arms burned with pain from the strain of holding onto Evie, each attempt to pull her up only hurting him more.

"Evie, you can't fall into the river! If you do you'll forget everything! You'll forget me! That's what the Lethe water does! It takes away your memories, the longer your in it!"

"Hayden, you can't hold onto me forever," Evie cried, tears running down her cheeks. She could see how much pain he was and knew it wouldn't be long before he too fell. "Even if I forget, you need to remember that I love you. Okay? We're best friends, now and forever, no matter what!"

Tears slithered down Hayden's cheek as he shook his head, tightening his grip on Evie's hand. He winced when she cried out from the pressure of his grip, but he couldn't let go. He didn't want her to forget him. He didn't want to lose her!

"Evie... I'm sorry," Hayden whispered, a sob breaking free from his throat.

He could feel her fingers slipping through his and then... she fell. The sound of her scream would forever haunt. All he could do was watch helplessly as his best friend fell into The River Lethe and forgot... everything.

* * *

 

_Nine years later._

_Present._

Evie awoke with a jolt and a desperate gasp for air. Her body felt weak and limp, and her head and heart were aching terribly. Her vision was blurry and it took a few moments before she recognised the boy sitting beside her on the large bean bag bed. He hadn't changed a bit, not really. She could still see the mischievous little boy she had once played with one the banks of The River Styx. He still had the same unnatural blue hair, amber eyes twinkling with mischief and a smile that was soft as the flower he and his mother had loved to grow.

"Easy, Evie, easy," Hayden hushed. "Memory recovery is disorientating. You might be experiencing some headaches, nausea and dizziness but it'll wear off shortly. No sudden movements, some ginger and you'll be fine."

Hayden gave her a wink, a gentle smile at the corner of his lips.

"Hayden?" Evie whispered, her voice cracking.

"I'm here, Evie," Hayden murmured, squeezing her hands. "I'm here."

She couldn't help herself, she threw herself at him. Hayden grunted as she crashed into his chest, knocking him onto his back on the beanbag. Evie let out a heart-wrenching sob as she tightened her embrace around his neck, her face burying into the leather of his jacket.

How could she have forgotten? How could the river have stolen all her memories of her childhood friend? Hayden had been her best friend, her only friend, at one point. It was Hayden who had gotten her a second chance at life that was so prematurely taken from her, Hayden who had done all he could to comfort her and make her happy, and who had saved her so many times on their misadventures in The Underworld. How could she have forgotten? How could any force be so strong to take that away from her?

"I didn't mean to slip," Evie mumbled into his jacket. "I didn't mean to forget."

"I know," Hayden assured her. "It wasn't your fault, Evie. I forgot all about you for a while too."

"But you didn't fall into the river."

"No, but I did keep trying to escape The Underworld to get to you," Hayden said, and although she could not see his face, she knew he was smirking. "My parents decided the best way to keep me safe and out of trouble was to forget about you - at least, for a while."

He hadn't forgotten her, not until he had been magically forced to. Evie couldn't help but muse how it was almost like a fairytale, the daring prince attempting to save the fair princess locked away in a castle on a horrible isle. The thought made her tighten her embrace, and she couldn't help but notice that he smelled just as she remembered, leather and an earthy, flowery scent, much like the meadow they use to play in as children.

"How did you remember?" Evie asked quietly.

"I figured something was going on when I found out that no one else on The Isle has dreams," Hayden said as he gently stroked her hair. "I had no idea what they meant... until I saw you. Something... clicked. With a little help from the spirits in The Undercity's library, I found an old herbal remedy that can help bring back missing memories, even those taken by The River Lethe."

It took a moment, but slowly, Evie felt herself go rigid, a sinking realisation dawning on her. Ever so carefully, Evie pushed herself away from Hayden's chest, allowing her eyes to meet his. She was reluctant to break the moment, but what she loathed more was knowing that their reunion was already tainted. She looked at him warily, the hints of betrayal already stirring in her eyes. Hayden frowned, sensing her unease.

"Evie, what's wrong?"

"How long?" Evie asked, her voice cracking a little. "How long have you known about our past?"

Hayden paused long enough to let her know that she would not like the answer. Evie let out a harsh breath of air, shaking her head in disbelief. She shot to her feet, glaring down at the boy before her, a boy now, more than ever, she had no clue where she stood with.

Moments ago, they had been enemies. Now, she had found out they had once been childhood friends with an entire history that had been leached away. Before she had discovered the truth, Hayden had always inspired mixed feelings in her, she was always torn between hate, confusion and a confounding desire to trust him. Now, old feelings of fondness, love and understanding, feelings which had been taken away by The River Lethe, had returned with an intensity that ached and battled painfully with the negative feelings she had developed for Hayden over the past few months. It confused her greatly and she no longer knew what she truly felt for Hayden.

"You knew before all this started, didn't you? You knew before you declared war on the VKs - with  _me_  as their leader - that we were once friends! How could you do that? How could you cause me all that trouble? You tried to steal our turf, putting my friend's livelihoods and safety at risk! And you threatened and hurt them!"

Evie's stomach churned at the thought. She could feel angry tears forming in her eyes, the air leaving her lungs in ragged breaths. She may not have recalled what she and Hayden once were, but he had. He knew they were childhood friends, friends who had sworn to always look out for each other, who had saved each other countless times, and yet still, he had gone out his way to make her life that past few months a constant struggle. She felt the bitter and indignant sting of betrayal that she had endured at the hands of Mal, Jay and Carlos, hurting her all over again.

She began backing away, her hands clenching into fists.

"Evie, wait! Just hear me out!" Hayden said quickly, jumping to his feet. "By the time I remembered what we were you were already a member of the VKs. We were enemies. Even if I offered you the remedy then you never would have taken it, you would have had no trust in me. I never would have hurt you, even during all our battles. Surely, you knew that?"

She had, even Zevon had picked up on how Hayden had favoured her during their encounters.

The 'first' time they met, he had offered her a chance to join him - even if he had known she never would have agreed. He hadn't threatened to throw her into the monster-filled lake when she, Zevon and Dizzy had ventured through The Gates of Tartarus. While they had taken refuge in the Rabbit hole for the night, he had held her close to keep her warm. He had given her his jacket and warmed her hands after Margaret Gesner had tossed them into the freezing pond. And after Mal and the others awful betrayal, he had been there to give her comfort and had even followed after her and saved her from Sylvester and his crew.

All of these random acts of kindness, she had refused to see anything but manipulations of a crafty enemy. Now though, she knew what they really were. In his own ways, as much as he could, Hayden had looked out for her. But it didn't excuse what he had done to her friends and everything he had put her through, nor did it appease her fury.

"That doesn't make it any better, Hayden!" Evie shouted, frustrated. "You still hurt and endangered my friends!"

"I know," Hayden replied, his voice almost sounding remorseful. "I'm not gonna lie and say that I care about them, because I don't. But I never wanted to cause you any distress, Evie. I know how loyal you are to your friends."

Hayden smiled wistfully, no doubt reminiscing in the old memories they had shared. Evie tried her best not to think of them. There was still so much history, so many memories, clamouring to be heard and seen. Once she had taken a bite of the pomegranate it had been like the floodgates had open, wave after wave of memory striking her hard and fast. There were still so many to re-live, but at that moment, she didn't want them to weaken her resolve or bring her any more confusion. She needed to think.

"I had no choice. For my plan to work I need control of The Isle, and that means I had to take on the other factions... including yours. My plans are little time sensitive so I couldn't try and win you round first. Believe me, Evie, if there had been another way I would have done so. I didn't want to be your enemy, ever. I know you're angry, but I think, I can make it up to you and your friends."

"How?" Evie asked in wonder. "They'll never forgive you. They hate you."

"Do you hate me?" Hayden asked quietly, barely able to look at her.

She wanted to hate him. Stars above, she did. Apart of her - the little girl with a heart of gold - wanted to tell him that everything was forgiven, that they could start anew like nothing bad had ever happened. But the older her knew better. Life wasn't that simple. She finally remembered her childhood friend, someone who had once filled her heart with so much joy and belonging, but Hayden had tainted that innocent friendship with his misdeeds against those she cared for, those who she had sworn to protect and look out for. Apart her wanted to embrace him while the villain side wanted to strike out against him for all he had done. The conflict she felt towards him almost made her wish she had never uncovered the truth. Almost.

"I don't hate you, Hayden," Evie mumbled. "But I'm angry. I'm in this horrible position and I don't know what to do. We may have been in rival factions but that didn't mean we had to be enemies! You made that choice when you declared war on us! The only reason everything so messed up is because you wanted control over all The Isle!"

"I told you it's for my plans! I had to-"

"What plans?" Evie asked, exasperated.

He had spoken of them before, but it felt like years since she had last thought of them. She had guessed it had something to do with taking over the world and acquiring his divinity, it was plans she had once sworn to stop. Now though? She had no idea where she stood. To go against him now felt like a betrayal. But to aid him didn't quite feel right either, not after everything he had done.

"Payback," Hayden gritted out, his venom not aimed at her but those who had wronged him. "For everything, those Auradonians have taken from us! For locking our parents away. For keeping us away from our homes, our magic and our heritage. For keeping us trapped in this forsaken isle of filth and rot. I have a plan, Evie. A plan to make them all pay."

"What use is plans of vengeance if we can't get off The Isle?"

"I have a way," Hayden assured her. He walked towards her, standing but a few feet away. "Thanks to a little tip from The Fates. But in order for my plan to work, I need control of The Isle. Everyone has to be on my side for the bigger chance of success."

"Even when you had a huge portion of territory up top, no one was on your side, Hayden," Evie shook her head, scoffing. "Why would anyone fight alongside you after you stole their turf - taking their main means of providing for themselves - wounded their pride and hurt their comrades? Evil 101, how  _not_  to gain followers and henchmen."

"It hasn't... quite been going to plan," Hayden admitted, wincing. "But you seem to have managed to bring the entire Isle together well."

Evie let out a mirthless laugh. "In case you hadn't noticed, my reputation is in shatters now thanks to Mal, Jay and Carlos. There's no way I could pull something off like that again. Even if I could, that doesn't mean I would."

"Maybe not the whole island, but you can still get the VKs onboard. You've done nothing but look out for them. They respect and trust you. If you ask, they'll follow."

"And why would I do that? What are you even wanting us to get on board with?"

"Bring the VKs to The Gates of Tartarus and I'll show you - all of you - how we're going to take over the world. Trust me, once they see what I have in store, despite our rocky past, they'll be on board. They'd be fools not to be. When I succeed it means we get our freedom, Evie."

Evie crossed her arms, her heels clicking off the floor as she paced before Hayden. There was so much to take in, so much more she had yet to even consider. Perhaps what Hayden said was true and he did have a plan to break down the barrier and take over the world. The Fates had told her that the barrier would fall. The idea of freedom seemed like such an unreachable dream, one she wasn't sure she could endure reaching for again. She had dared to dream of it once and look how that had turned out?

"In the meantime," Hayden continued softly. "The VKs and The Ghouls united could be the best thing for you and your friends. Up top had a hard enough time dealing with us on their own, but if we work with the VKs? We'd be near impossible to beat. They're already turning on you up there, Evie. You need all the allies you can get."

Evie flinched at the reminder, still bitter and resentful about the whole affair.

There was no denying what Hayden said. If the VKs joined with The Ghouls, they would be far more powerful than they were now. Evie wasn't even sure if the VKs would agree to join The Ghouls, they had been vicious enemies after all. But it might also be the only way they could survive. Children of The Isle were prideful, but above all else, they knew how to survive - no matter the cost. Fighting alongside The Ghouls would mean they would be able to protect their turf, even if all the up top factions banded together to challenge them.

"I don't know if they'll agree to this, Hayden," Evie finally said, standing still. "Your plan better be good."

"It's not good, it's evil," Hayden said, his eyes shining brightly. "Bring them to The Gates of Tartarus tomorrow, my Ghouls and I will meet you there."

"Fine," Evie sighed, running a hand through her hair.

Until she saw Hayden's plan, she wasn't going to let herself even dare to hope of the chance of success. The main reason she was agreeing to this was for the safety of her team and herself. She didn't think there was any way to get them out of the mess their former leader had put them in, and she needed to prioritize them first. Joining with The Ghouls looked to be their best bets of survival.

"Come on," Hayden said, taking her hand gently in his gloveless one. "I think it's best I get you home now. You've got a lot to take in. Unless you want to stay the night?"

Hayden chuckled at the glare Evie gave him for his teasing.

An understatement if she had ever heard one. Hayden took her to The Castle Beyond The Way, insisting that he walk her all the way to her door. It reminded her of when they were little, how he would always make sure she got to her room safely each night. Before he left her he paused, and for a moment he simply stared at her with nothing but adoration. It was a look that made Evie a little weak at the knees. Almost a little shyly, she tucked her hair behind her ear, having to resist the urge to fidget.

"Evie... I'm glad you remember now," he said quietly.

"Me too," Evie replied.

And just as she had done each night when they were children, Evie went on her tippy toes and placed a soft kiss on Hayden's cheek. It was strangely instinctive, and she couldn't have stopped herself if she had tried. If her mind had not been so overwhelmed with everything that happened that day, she may have found it curious how Hayden's skin had not been warm to the touch.

With a smile, Evie slipped into her castle and went straight to bed, sleep claiming her as soon as her head hit the pillow.

* * *

No dreams came to Evie that night, and for that, she was thankful. What she was less thankful for was her mother swooping into her room, earlier than normal, to wake her up. The Evil Queen glided into the room with her usual poise and elegance. She headed for the curtains, throwing them open and letting daylight spill into the room. Evie winced, muttering a curse as she snuggled deeper into her quilts and blankets.

"Evie, Darling! It's time to wake up!" The Evil Queen peered out of the window, taking in the sound of the tweeting birds and chattering leaves. "Oh, look at that. Another glorious morning. It makes me sick."

With a scowl, The Evil Queen turned to face her daughter.

"Evie, darling, hurry up and get ready. I want to go to the market- OH MY WORD!"

It was her mother's startled shriek that tore Evie from her sleepy daze. She shot up in bed, looking at her mother in alarm.

"I'm awake, mum!" Evie said, barely able to contain a yawn. "Just... a little sleepier than normal. I'll be ready in just a-"

"What did you do to your beautiful hair?" The Evil Queen cried, hurrying over to Evie's bedside. She ran her hands through her daughter's sleep mused locks, looking at the waves of hair in despair. "Oh my dear, what possessed you to do this?"

Evie blinked, confused as to what her mother was going on about. Curiously, she ran her fingers through her hair, bringing it front in of her eyes.

Her mouth fell open, a horrified gasp escaping her.

"Oh... my... stars! My hair... it's... it's-"

"Blue," The Evil Queen winced.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh dear, I wonder why Evie's hair had turned blue and how she was able to touch Hayden without getting burned? Does anyone have any theories on what Hayden's big plans are? Admittedly, there had only been one hint. 
> 
> References: 
> 
> The title 'Remeber Me Though We Have To Say Goodbye' is a reference to the song in Coco.
> 
> "He didn't care how far they had to run, he knew every mile would be worth their while, if it meant he and Evie got to stay together," is a nod to the song 'I Can Go The Distance' in Hercules (I don't care how far, somehow I'll be strong. I know every mile will be worth my while. I would go almost anywhere to find where I belong~*)
> 
> "Another glorious morning. It makes me sick," is a reference to Hocus Pocus, a line said by Winnie. 
> 
> Disney has to two versions of Cupid, both from The Hercules Universe. I'm going with the one we see a cameo of in the movie, and not the version in the Hercules Series (which is less flattering.) According to the Disney Wiki page on Cupid, is Hade's nephew.


End file.
